When you hear a dental professional talk about having a dental radiograph, they are referring to an x-ray of your dental region.
There are many different reasons why they may want you to have one of these x-rays completed. They mainly want to get a better look at a potential problem that they believe exists inside of your mouth. They will be able to figure out the full extent of the problem and be able to suggest a more suitable treatment plan.
The diagnoses will be more accurate and subsequently the recovery time can be decreased. Some common reasons why you will be sent for a dental x-ray include identifying any hidden structures in the dental region, benign or malignant masses, cavities and loss of bone.
How Does It Work?
The image is produced after a burst of x-ray radiation is released and is used to penetrate the dental regions, before bouncing and striking off the film. As the teeth cannot be penetrated as well as tissue and muscle, they will look lighter on the image.
Any infections and damage will appear as darker regions on the image as these areas will be easier to penetrate than healthy ones. There is no need to worry too much about the radiation exposure, as it is a very small amount and steps are taken to reduce the exposure even further.
Why You Need To Get a Dental X-ray
It can be very easy for a dental professional to miss out on some problem in your mouth as it is hiding in hard to reach areas. They may also underestimate the extent of a problem. This is why getting a dental x-ray can be important. You will be able to nip problems in the bud before they cause a lot of pain, as well as wasting time and money.