There are few things better we can do in our daily lives than smile. When we smile, we indicate that we are positive and creative people. It can make the others day too! Our teeth are visible to everyone whenever we smile. However, did you know that our teeth can conceal a few key secrets? Most of the time, brushing and flossing are all we need to keep our teeth healthy, but sometimes they need a little extra help to stay strong and develop properly. That is where dental x-rays are useful!
The dental x-ray device is a specialized equipment for dentists to examine the inside of teeth. When you the dentist for a check-up, he still may ask you to take an x-ray. This part is super useful, as it allows them to see the roots and bones of your teeth, which are covered by your gums. Your dentist will also be able to detect cavities that are too small to see by sight! They are little holes made in our teeth that can become sore if we are not careful.
There have been so many new-age innovations made in dental x-ray equipment too. Once upon a time, dentists would use x-rays using the old fashioned method of film that needed to be developed in a darkroom just like your grandmother's old camera. This was time-consuming and could be somewhat complex. But, in modern times, the majority of dentists use digital x-rays. Digital x-rays come with the added bonus of speed, meaning we no longer have to wait to view our teeth pictures. Other x-ray machines use less radiation than the old film x-rays to protect us as well. That means that getting to the dentist is easier and more secure for everyone now!
While dental x-rays are for the sake of seeing our teeth, we should never be forgetting safety. You will be asked to put on a protective lead apron before having an x-ray taken. This is radiation protective equipment, meaning it protects your body from radiation, which is a type of energy that can be harmful in large amounts. The dentist will also place a special shield over a section of your neck called the thyroid for protection as well. Moreover, dentists use x-rays that have low radiation doses, such as the high-speed film that now comes in digital form, too. Thus, this ensures that you are safe but you still get the information that they need in order to assist your teeth.
Depending on what a dentist needs to discover, there are distinct forms of dental x-rays. Panoramic x-rays are an example and they capture an image of your entire mouth at once. This is useful because it allows you to see all your teeth/jaw in one picture. Another type is the x-ray that is focused on the back teeth, which are the teeth that we use to chew food, and are called as a Bitewing x-ray. It is known also as cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). This type of x-ray takes a 3-dimensional image of your teeth and bones. This allows the dentist to see precisely where the roots of your teeth are, and this is extremely useful when diagnosing root canals or jaw problems.
Like any other tools of the trade, x-ray equipment in a dental office needs to be properly maintained. Dentists tend to test this equipment on a regular basis for it to be functional and effective. So if the equipment is broken or not function right, the x-rays are wrong. This is why dental x-ray equipment needs to be checked and repaired regularly. Everything from your tools, to your chair, to your hygiene products is under scrutiny, and the better the tools you have, the more efficient it is for the dentist to practice and for the patient to remain safe.
Dental x rays we feel are critical to dentists and dental hygienists at Guccident. We know they assist them in discovering and correcting issues in our teeth that we are not able to notice simply by looking at our teeth. Dental x-rays are beneficial to maintain healthy and strong teeth in both children and adults. This helps to identify issues early on so as to prevent pain and complex treatment in the future, in which regular x-rays will assist.