dental radiographs

Radiographs (x-rays) are a vital and necessary part of your child’s dental diagnostic process. The most frequent questions we are asked regarding radiographs are: Does my child really need them and are they safe? Without them, certain dental conditions cannot be diagnosed. Radiographs detect much more than cavities. They may be needed to survey erupting teeth, diagnose bone diseases, evaluate the results of an injury, or plan orthodontic treatment. Radiographs allow the dentist to diagnose and treat health conditions that cannot otherwise be detected during a clinical examination. If dental problems are found and treated early, dental care is more comfortable for your child and more affordable for you. The dose of radiation is minimal, and all necessary precautions are taken to ensure exposure is minimal. A lead apron will protect your child and digital radiography significantly reduces the amount of radiation that patients are exposed to.

We follow the guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry when prescribing dental radiographs for infants, children, adolescents and persons with special health care needs. These guidelines were adopted from the ADA and the FDA. The table in the above link is very useful!

If you want to learn more about X-rays, go to this site by the ADA.