BITE-WING
As the name would suggest, bite-wing X-rays are integral for determining a patient’s bite profile.
Before the image is taken, you may be asked to bite down on a small plate or sensor. Then, the radiologist will take a quick snapshot of your teeth.
The scope of these X-rays is more narrow than its counterparts, as each image only details about four teeth. With that said, they’re highly-detailed, capturing a dental profile down to the bone.
Aside from helping dentists learn more about enamel strength, it’s also a great way to discover overcrowding problems or crooked growth.
PERIAPICAL
Where bite-wing images give a full-sized look at your, periapical imaging gives an in-depth look at about four to five teeth at most.
Most doctors will use this type of dental X-ray to diagnose problems with a patient’s root, such as an abscess or a broken tooth – both of which are easy fixes.
If you go to your dentist complaining of tooth pain, they’ll likely suggest undergoing a periapical X-ray.
CEPHALOMETRIC
If you’ve ever seen a massive machine in your dentist’s office, there’s a good chance it was a panoramic camera used for cephalometric imaging.
This is simply an image of your profile. Taken from the side, a cephalometric X-ray is helpful in determining an under or overbite in a patient. Furthermore, it can assist in locating the presence of harmful bacteria in oral tissue.
Often, this type of mouth X-ray is recommended for patients considering braces or corrective surgery.
PANORAMIC
Like the cephalometric X-ray, a panoramic image, unsurprisingly, requires the use of a specialized panoramic camera.
Like its counterpart, a panoramic image gives a full view of your mouth.
However, it’s less concerned with the jaw, instead focusing on the teeth. This is a great option for those who may have impacted teeth or believe they may have an oral tumor.
TOMOGRAM
When a dental professional needs a close look at a hard-to-see area, such as under a patient’s gums, they’ll recommend a tomogram. This type of X-ray is as minute as it gets.
What’s more, dentists can use a computerized tomography to create a fully three-dimensional portrait of your teeth, allowing for an even better look at the smallest details of a tooth.
Digital X-Rays
Why dental X-rays are Important:
X-rays are an essential part of modern dentistry, as they provide us with the ability to identify problems that may not be apparent through a visual examination alone. X-rays allow dentists to more effectively…
- View the status of developing teeth
- Get a good look at tooth roots
- Locate cavities
- Monitor the condition of the bone around the tooth
- Check for periodontal disease
Why dentists use digital X-rays:
Dentists use digital dental radiographs, or digital X-rays, because they are a modern improvement over traditional X-rays.
This type of X-ray uses digital sensors instead of the photographic X-ray film used in the past, allowing for enhanced computer images of oral structures such as your teeth, gums, jawbone, and more.
These types of X-rays allow for a better picture of what is happening inside of your mouth, making it easier to spot problems and provide a proper diagnosis for any conditions you may have.
Some of the advantages offered by digital X-rays include:
- Digital X-rays use between 50% to 80% less radiation than traditional X-rays.
- They’re able to better reveal small hidden areas of decay that might exist below fillings, under
other restorations or between teeth. - They can help dentists indentify bone infections, abscesses, tumor, or gum disease, which might have otherwise gone unnoticed in a visual examination.
- Digital X-rays can easily be viewed on a computer monitor, enhanced with software tools, and quickly sent electronically to a specialist if needed. This also makes it faster to send to insurance companies for faster insurance claims.
- The digital format allows for easy storage; there’s no physical X-ray that needs to be filed and stored.
- Digital X-rays are more environmentally-friendly.
