X-rays are your friend!
X-rays are one of the most powerful tools in our clinical arsenal. They help us see what’s going on in our patient’s mouths. While we’re able to figure out some of a patient’s oral health conditions by just looking into their mouth, x-rays help us see what’s going on between the teeth and under the gums (which is usually where stuff can go wrong).
At Hofmeister Family Dentistry, we take four different types of x-rays:
Bitewings - usually taken once a year. These x-rays are the workhorse and help detect decay between the back teeth and changes to bone height in the jaw.
Full mouth - usually taken for new patients or every 3 - 5 years for existing patients. It’s a series of 18 x-rays that provide a comprehensive overview of all teeth.
Panoramic - usually taken for new patients or every 3 - 5 years for existing patients. It’s a single image that shows the entire mouth area (teeth and bone).
Periapical - usually taken as needed for specific teeth. It shows the whole tooth, from the crown to the root.
Frequency is typically a function of medical history, dental history, and current condition. Some people may need x-rays every 6 months. And some people may only need x-rays every couple of years. We partner with your insurance to understand reimbursement rates and any frequency limitations that may exist that could alter our standard clinical recommendations.
But the main point I wanted to make is that all of these x-rays are super safe. The amount of radiation emitted from our x-rays is very small. As x-ray and sensor technology has advanced over time, the amount of radiation emitted to get a clear picture of what’s going on in the mouth has drastically shrunk. Additionally, we use lead-lined vests to minimize any extraneous radiation.
To put things in context, the amount of radiation exposure from an x-ray you’d get at Hofmeister Family Dentistry is ~0.005 mSv (millisievert). Let’s compare that to some other measures:
The average American is exposed to 6.2 mSV of radiation (from all sources; man-made and natural) in one year. One-x-ray at HFD is 0.08% of that total radiation.
A dental x-ray is ~2% of the effective does of radiation a patient would receive from a medical x-ray.
People living in Denver experience ~0.8 mSv of annual radiation as a result of cosmic radiation penetrating the thinner atmosphere at elevation.
Finally, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) tests our x-ray units every year to make sure they are safe and up to standard.
So, please don’t worry too much about x-rays and radiation :). But if you have any questions, we’d be more than happy to help answer them! Give us a call at 630.830.6056 or send us an email at info@hofmeisterDDS.com.