Cavities are not visible to the naked eye. X-rays are a crucial part of diagnosis and treatment in oral health. At Ivory Dental, we want to provide you the best possible dental care and just looking will not tell us everything we need to know. With X-rays we can see between teeth, under soft tissue and within the bone. Without X-rays, some conditions cannot be detected or diagnosed. X-rays help locate cavities, periodontal disease, infections, abscesses, cysts, tumors and cancer.
We will recommend an X-ray schedule depending upon your situation. If you are a new patient, we may advise taking a full series of X-rays to gauge your current state of oral health and use this as a baseline for possible treatment. As you continue your regular checkup visits, fewer X-rays are needed to monitor the status of your oral health.
At Ivory Dental we use digital radiography (digital X-rays). Digital radiography is one of the most important new advances that our profession has seen in quite some time. X-ray machines are designed to minimize radiation, making these processes safe and your exposure negligible. Digital X-rays further reduce radiation exposure. Nonetheless, the American Dental Association (ADA) recommends patients have the added protection of a leaded apron to cover the abdominal area and a leaded collar to protect the thyroid. We normally ask, but please let us know if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, before we begin the X-rays.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends that pregnant women maintain their oral health by staying current with routine dental procedures such as cleanings, X-rays, fillings and root canals. Standard advice has been to avoid X-rays during pregnancy unless absolutely necessary but that thinking has changed. Diagnostic X-rays, such as dental X-rays are now considered safe for pregnant women. In fact, the amount of radiation exposure that reaches the baby during a dental X-ray is very low, especially if you use a leaded apron.
Here at Ivory Dental, we use digital X-rays because we take your oral health seriously and your oral health affects your overall health. Call (904) 998-1555 today; we would love to hear from you!