Dental X-Rays

Excellent oral hygiene is not only about flossing or brushing your teeth twice daily. Instead, good oral hygiene also includes going for regular dental cleanings and professional dental checkups. In fact, preventative dental care, including educational instructions, oral exams, and dental X-rays, allows our dentist to determine oral issues even before they become more severe.

X-rays are a form of high-energy electromagnetic radiation. They penetrate through your body and get absorbed by dense objects like bones and teeth, showing up on an X-ray film as light-colored images. Similarly, X-rays will pass through less dense areas of your face, like cheeks and gums, appearing as dark-colored images on an X-ray film.

Why We Use Dental X-Rays

Our family dental practice values our patients' smiles and will go above and beyond to keep their teeth healthy and clean. Dental X-rays allow our dentist, Dr. Duhon, to determine the condition of the patient's facial bone composition, jaw placements, roots, and teeth. Even if everything feels excellent and there doesn't seem to be any oral issue, a dental X-ray can spot issues or problems that are developing.

Some issues that we can spot through dental X-rays include:

• Impacted teeth
• Wisdom teeth development
• Tooth decay
• Oral tumor and cysts
• Gum infections and abscesses
• Teeth positioning and condition
• Changes in bone caused by infection
• Bone loss
• Decay underneath dental fillings
• Decay between hard-to-reach areas of the teeth

How Frequently You Need Dental X-Rays Taken

The number of dental X-rays you may require depends on your teeth's current condition and overall dental history. For example, some patients might require dental X-rays once every year or two, while others might need a couple of appointments every six to eight months.

By visiting Duhon Family Dentistry and letting Dr. Duhon examine your teeth, we can give you a better idea about how frequently you might require dental X-rays and appointments. That being said, you might need to visit our dental clinic more often if:

• You have larger fillings done previously
• You suffer from dry mouth
• You have a known history of periodontal disease
• You drink a lot of alcohol or sugary beverages
• You are a heavy smoker

Are Dental X-Rays Safe?

The amount of radiation you receive during a dental X-ray is minimal. However, advances in dental imaging technology allow our highly trained staff and dentist to perform dental X-rays on patients in the most secure environment possible.

When you visit and require dental imaging, our team will provide you with lead-lined body aprons and will use focused X-ray beams to only target your teeth. This will ensure that the least amount of radiation enters your body.

Dental X-rays are excellent for identifying any underlying dental issues and diagnosing dental problems you might be suffering from. Contact us today, and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have about the imaging technology we use.