X-rays play an important role in your oral health; we’re answering your questions about X-rays in Nanaimo.
Dental x-rays are an important part of your oral health maintenance plan, and Dr. Nadia Stymiest and the Nanaimo Smiles team are proud to offer the latest technology to make your experience more comfortable. While dental x-rays are a common procedure in your oral health check-up, you may have concerns about what the practice entails, why it’s necessary, and, most importantly, if it’s safe.
In this article, we’ll separate fact from fiction when it comes to dental x-rays, and discuss why Dr. Nadia Stymiest is integrating the best technology for her patients in Nanaimo, BC. If you have any additional questions about dental x-rays in Nanaimo or would like to learn more about Nanaimo Smiles’s oral health services for all ages, click here to get started with our team.
What are dental x-rays?
Dental x-rays, also known as radiographs, are essential diagnostic tools used by dentists to assess and monitor oral health. These images provide valuable insights into areas of the mouth not visible during a regular dental examination, such as between teeth, under the gums, and in the jawbone. By capturing detailed images of the teeth, roots, and surrounding bone structure, dental x-rays help our team identify a range of issues, including cavities, impacted teeth, bone loss, and abnormalities in tooth and jaw development.
What happens during an x-ray?
During a dental x-ray procedure, you’ll stay comfortably seated in your chair while our team prepares the equipment. We may give you a lead apron to wear that’ll minimize radiation exposure to other parts of the body (more on that later). A small, flat device called an x-ray sensor or film will then be placed inside your mouth between the teeth and cheek.
Next, we’ll direct the x-ray machine to emit a brief burst of radiation towards the targeted area. The x-ray beams pass through the oral tissues and are absorbed by the teeth, bones, and soft tissues, creating an image on the sensor or film. This image is captured digitally for examination. The entire process is quick and painless, and you’ll experience minimal discomfort.
Are there different types of x-rays? And why do you need them?
Dental x-rays are crucial for assessing oral health because they provide detailed images of the teeth, gums, jawbone, and surrounding structures that may not be visible during a regular dental examination. There are several types of dental x-rays, each serving a specific purpose.
Bitewing x-rays: These x-rays capture images of the upper and lower back teeth in a single area of the mouth. Bitewings are particularly useful for detecting cavities between teeth, assessing dental fillings, and monitoring changes in bone density caused by gum disease.
Periapical x-rays: Periapical x-rays focus on individual teeth, capturing images of the entire tooth from the crown to the root, as well as the surrounding bone and supporting structures. They are helpful in identifying issues such as dental abscesses, impacted teeth, abnormalities in tooth roots, and bone loss due to infection or trauma.
Panoramic x-rays: Panoramic x-rays provide a broad view of the entire mouth, including all the teeth, jaws, and temporomandibular joints (TMJ). This type of x-ray is valuable for assessing the development and positioning of teeth, identifying cysts or tumors, evaluating the jawbone for fractures or abnormalities, and planning orthodontic treatment, dental implants, or oral surgery.
These different types of dental x-rays complement each other and allow our team to obtain comprehensive information about your oral health status. By detecting problems early and accurately, dental x-rays play a crucial role in preventing and treating dental issues effectively, ultimately contributing to better overall oral health and well-being.
Are x-rays safe?
Dental x-rays are safe when performed properly and with appropriate precautions. While x-rays do involve exposure to radiation, the amount used in dental imaging is very low, and modern equipment and techniques further minimize radiation exposure.
When comparing the amount of radiation in a dental x-ray to other everyday items and activities, you may be surprised at the findings. Dental x-rays typically involve very low levels of radiation exposure, equivalent to or even less than the amount received from natural sources such as radon gas in homes and even certain types of food.
For instance, the radiation dose from a typical dental x-ray is comparable to the radiation exposure from a short airplane flight or spending a day in the sun. Overall, while dental x-rays do involve radiation, the doses are carefully controlled and minimized to ensure patient safety, and the risks are generally considered negligible in comparison to the benefits of accurate diagnosis and treatment planning for oral health.
Additionally, our team takes several precautions to ensure your safety during x-ray procedures, such as the use of lead aprons and thyroid collars to shield the body from radiation, and high-speed film or digital sensors that require shorter exposure times. We follow strict guidelines provided by the Canadian Dental Association relating to x-ray frequency and necessity.
The benefits of dental x-rays in diagnosing and treating oral health issues often outweigh the minimal risks associated with minimal radiation exposure. Early detection of dental problems through x-rays can lead to timely interventions, preventing the progression of oral diseases and potentially avoiding more invasive treatments later on.
How Much Radiation is in a Dental X-Ray?
Many patients express concerns about the radiation exposure associated with dental x-rays. While it’s true that early x-ray technology lacked comprehensive safety measures, advancements in modern dental practices have significantly minimized these risks. Today, the radiation exposure from a dental x-ray is remarkably low. To put this into perspective, let’s compare the radiation from everyday sources to that of a dental x-ray:
Eating one banana: 0.01 mrem
Smoking cigarettes: 1,300 mrem per year
Average mammogram: 20 mrem
Natural radiation from the soil: 35 mrem per year
Chest x-ray: 10 mrem
Using natural gas for cooking and heating: 9 mrem per year
Drinking water: 5 mrem per year
Transcontinental flight: 4 mrem
Digital dental x-ray: 0.1 mrem (Set of 4 bitewings: 0.4 mrem)
As these comparisons show, the radiation exposure from a dental x-ray is minimal. For example, eating 10 bananas would expose you to the same amount of radiation as a digital dental x-ray. At Nanaimo Smiles, we use the latest digital x-ray technology to ensure your safety and health are our top priorities. Rest assured, your radiation exposure during a dental x-ray is only a tiny fraction of your daily environmental exposure.
NOMAD™x-ray in Nanaimo, BC
Our team is thrilled to offer our clients the ease associated with the latest technology in dental x-rays. The NOMAD™x-ray is a portable device that captures diagnostic images of patients’ teeth and jaws. Unlike traditional stationary x-ray machines, the Nomad is handheld and battery-powered, allowing for greater flexibility and convenience. The NOMAD™ x-ray emits a focused x-ray beam to produce high-quality images while minimizing radiation exposure—less than ever before! Its portability and ease of use make it particularly useful in situations where mobility and space are limited, enabling our team to perform x-rays efficiently and effectively. The NOMAD™ x-ray is a great option for patients who experience dental anxiety as our dental assistants are able to stay in the operatory throughout the entire process.
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Dental x-rays in Nanaimo, BC
Ready to take care of your smile? Nanaimo Smiles dental clinic is currently accepting new patients of all ages to support the best care possible of their smiles and oral health. Contact our team of friendly dental professionals to become a patient today. We welcome you to visit our modern dental clinic located at 2700 Norwell Dr, Unit 101, Nanaimo, BC.