Are Digital Dental X-Rays Safe for My Child?
At Dentistry for Children, we believe every child deserves access to quality dental care. We are proud to offer the latest dental technology, including digital dental x-rays, to detect and diagnose dental problems in their earliest stages when they are the easiest to treat. Today’s modern digital dental x-rays are more comfortable, precise, and safer than ever before, enhancing your child’s dental care.
What Are Digital Dental X-Rays?
Digital radiography is an advanced imaging technology that allows our pediatric dentists to view detailed images of your child’s teeth, bones, and surrounding tissues. Unlike traditional x-ray technology that captures images on film, digital x-rays rely on electronic sensors to capture images with incredible clarity.
How Safe Are Digital Dental X-Rays?
Digital dental x-rays are considered highly safe for kids, even for young children. They reduce exposure to radiation by 80-90 percent compared to the already minimal levels of radiation of traditional film x-rays, making them safer than ever!
To put things in perspective, a set of four bitewing x-rays exposes your child to about 0.004 mSv of radiation, far less than environmental radiation exposure of 0.01 mSv. Compared to daily living, it is easy to see how safe digital dental imaging is!
Even though digital x-rays are safe for your child, we only recommend them when necessary. Moreover, we take all the recommended precautions, including wearing lead aprons as an added layer of protection.
How Do Digital X-Rays Enhance Your Child’s Dental Care?
A visual dental exam helps us evaluate your child’s oral health but cannot reveal everything we want to know about your child’s smile. Digital dental x-rays are an invaluable diagnostic and preventive tool. They detect even the smallest areas of decay hidden between your little one’s teeth or below existing restorations allowing for prompt treatment.
Digital dental x-rays also help us to identify signs of gum disease, developmental abnormalities, bone disease, and cysts that cannot be seen during a visual examination. Early detection and treatment of dental problems can prevent the need for costly and complex procedures down the road.
With digital dental x-rays, Dr. Halum and his team are able to quickly and efficiently evaluate your little one’s developing teeth, diagnose bone problems or injuries, uncover problems such as missing or extra teeth, and plan for orthodontic treatment. The innovative technology provides an excellent tool to track the progress of treatments and identify changes in your child’s smile over time.
How Often Do Children Require Digital Dental X-Rays?
Children’s mouths develop quickly and undergo many changes we cannot see in a visual exam. Dr. Halum typically recommends taking digital x-rays at age 3. From that point on, your little one will require cavity-detecting bitewing x-rays every six months during regular dental exams.
If your child develops a problem between dental visits, make sure to contact our office right away. We may recommend additional x-rays to diagnose your little one’s concerns and provide prompt treatment. The sooner your child’s problem is addressed, the easier and less invasive treatment will be.
What Is the Process of Getting a Digital Dental X-Ray?
Dr. Halum recommends cavity-detecting X-rays called ‘bitewings’ every six months. This is an image that shows all of the posterior (back) teeth of the mouth. He also recommends a full mouth X-ray called a ‘panoramic’ or ‘pano’ every three years. A panoramic X-ray allows him to view your child’s entire mouth to access their overall growth and development. Both of these types of images are taken on the same machine, located in our x-ray room near the front office check out desk and the patient restroom. Our x-ray room is also playfully called the ‘blue room’ because it is painted bright blue!
Our pediatric dental assistants will place a lead apron on your child and then guide them to stand within our digital X-ray machine (or stand on a wooden platform to elevate their height if needed). They will then be instructed to gently bite down with their front teeth onto a ‘bite stick’ that helps line them up for a perfect x-ray. Your child will be encouraged to stand still for about 30 seconds while the x-ray machine spins in a circle around their head (without touching them) and then spins back around. This process is very fast and easy and they will be given instruction and positive reinforcement throughout the process by our highly trained pediatric staff!
If your child is experiencing a problem or concern in a localized area in the mouth (maybe just 1 or 2 teeth) then we’re able to use a small sensor to capture your area of concern. This method of -rays can be done right in the exam room you’re placed in.
The process can go as follows: Your child will sit down in the dental chair or on your lap (if needed). Even though digital x-rays have minimal scatter radiation, everyone in the room will wear a lead apron for protection. We will have your little one open big to place a kid-sized digital sensor in their mouth. The sensor will capture precise images of your child’s oral structures. We will repeat the process until we have all the images we need.
What Are the Benefits of Digital Dental X-Rays?
Digital dental x-rays offer numerous advantages compared to traditional dental x-ray technology, including the following:
- High-Quality Images: Digital x-rays produce incredibly high-quality images that help us accurately diagnose dental problems and create effective treatment plans with better outcomes.
- Quick and Convenient: We can capture your little one’s digital radiographs instantly on a computer screen and can zoom in on specific areas with incredible clarity.
- Less Wait Time: If we need to retake an image, we can do so immediately, minimizing your little one’s time sitting in the dentist’s chair.
- Less Invasive: Digital dental x-rays are less invasive than traditional x-rays, which can be uncomfortable for children with sensitive teeth or a strong gag reflex.
- Smaller Sensors: Digital dental x-rays use smaller sensors than traditional x-rays, which are more comfortable for little mouths.
- Easy Sharing: Digital radiographs are easily shared with other dentists or specialists and can be printed or emailed when needed for your records.
- Eco-Friendly: Digital dental radiographs do not require chemical processing and do not produce hazardous waste, providing a more eco-friendly alternative to traditional film x-rays.
- Less Radiation Exposure: The digital sensors require 80 to 90 percent less radiation than film, promoting radiation safety.
Healthy Habits for Healthy Smiles
A healthy smile starts at home, so help your child maintain good oral hygiene practices. Encourage your little one to brush twice daily for at least two minutes and floss daily. Offer a healthy, balanced diet to provide your little one with the nutrients needed for healthy teeth and gums. Limit sugary, sticky, or starchy foods to lower the risk of tooth decay and offer plenty of water to keep your child hydrated.
It’s also important to visit Dentistry for Children for your child’s twice-yearly exams and teeth cleanings. We will diagnose and treat any dental concerns as they develop, ensuring your little one’s smile stays healthy and strong.
Quality Pediatric Dentistry Services Near Me in Highland, IN
Visit Dentistry for Children to learn more about our dental x-ray technology and cutting-edge pediatric dental care. Dr. Halum and our kid-friendly team are committed to providing our young patients with the best possible care. We are all about laying the foundation for a lifetime of healthy smiles. We invite you to call us at 219-924-5437 to schedule an appointment or use our online form to request one today!