What to Expect at Your First Visit
Dental Examination | Health and Dental History | Radiographs
Radiographs
Dental radiographs or x-rays provide valuable information about a patient's oral health. They allow the dentist to examine the underlying bone, the jaw joints, the roots of the teeth, unerupted teeth, and the contact areas between teeth where they touch one another.
Summit Dental uses digital radiography to take patient's dental x-rays. Digital radiography uses significantly less radiation to produce excellent images. The software used to view the images allows the doctors to zoom in on areas of concern, better for diagnosing and explaining concerns to patients.
In some instances dental x-rays can reveal a condition at an early stage before a patient is even aware of any signs or symptoms that there is a problem. Dental X-rays may disclose, among other things:
When you become a new patient, the dentists at BigSmiles Dental Care would like to see any radiographs that can be made available from your previous dental office. It is best to let us call your previous dentist's office to find out what x-rays they have on file and when they were taken. Your dentist will probably recommend a complete-mouth series of radiographs and/or a panoramic x-ray to determine the condition of hidden areas of the mouth and to help analyze any changes that may present at a later date. Up to date radiographs are required to determine whether any decay is present, to evaluate the severity of periodontal (gum) disease, or to assess the status of growth and development in children.
Children often need radiographs more frequently than adults because their oral structure and growing and changing as well as their high risk for developing tooth decay. Your dentist will use these radiographs to chart the growth and development and ensure permanent teeth are erupting properly.
Patients should always tell their dentist if they are or think they may be pregnant. Please see our section on Pregnancy and your Oral Health.
Summit Dental uses digital radiography to take patient's dental x-rays. Digital radiography uses significantly less radiation to produce excellent images. The software used to view the images allows the doctors to zoom in on areas of concern, better for diagnosing and explaining concerns to patients.
In some instances dental x-rays can reveal a condition at an early stage before a patient is even aware of any signs or symptoms that there is a problem. Dental X-rays may disclose, among other things:
- areas of decay in or between the teeth, and under existing dental restorations
- signs of periodontal (gum) disease
- abscesses, cysts or tumors
- developmental and other abnormalities of both teeth and bones
- evidence of trauma
- evidence of other medical conditions or diseases
When you become a new patient, the dentists at BigSmiles Dental Care would like to see any radiographs that can be made available from your previous dental office. It is best to let us call your previous dentist's office to find out what x-rays they have on file and when they were taken. Your dentist will probably recommend a complete-mouth series of radiographs and/or a panoramic x-ray to determine the condition of hidden areas of the mouth and to help analyze any changes that may present at a later date. Up to date radiographs are required to determine whether any decay is present, to evaluate the severity of periodontal (gum) disease, or to assess the status of growth and development in children.
Children often need radiographs more frequently than adults because their oral structure and growing and changing as well as their high risk for developing tooth decay. Your dentist will use these radiographs to chart the growth and development and ensure permanent teeth are erupting properly.
Patients should always tell their dentist if they are or think they may be pregnant. Please see our section on Pregnancy and your Oral Health.
