Digital X Ray
Many oral health conditions are undetectable upon visual inspection but require treatment, nonetheless. As a patient of Dr. Melinda Harr, you will receive a digital X-ray in Fargo, ND, when she suspects a problem.
Common Oral Health Issues Detected by a Digital X-ray
Some of the most common issues that Dr. Harr finds with a digital X-ray include:
- Bone loss caused by severe gum disease
- Infection in a tooth or its root
- Monitoring wisdom teeth eruption
- Oral tumors
- Tooth decay under a filling or between teeth
- Tooth Eruption and jaw development problems in pediatric patients
- Root canal changes
Digital X-rays provide Dr. Harr with an immediate image that she can view on a computer screen. Please let your dental team know if you have concerns about exposure to radiation. We can provide you with a long collar to place over your thyroid area.
Obtaining a new set of X-rays each year allows Dr. Harr to see if any changes have occurred. If you are a new patient, your dental assistant will take a set of images to use for baseline purposes.
Considerations When Getting a Dental X-ray
Your age and current oral health are both major considerations when receiving a digital X-ray. As are senior adults, children, and teenagers are often more sensitive to radiation. However, the amount of exposure is still low and no more than you would experience on an airplane ride. Before taking X-rays, Dr. Harr also considers your presenting symptoms and risk factors for developing certain conditions.
Some dental insurance companies will only cover X-rays at certain intervals. Checking your coverage before you come in for a dental appointment is always a good idea. If you have records of X-rays from a previous dentist, feel free to bring those along to your first appointment.
The standard dental X-ray is a bitewing X-ray. You bite into a thin piece of cardboard with a sensor attached while holding as still as possible. Since bitewing X-rays don’t show the roots of teeth, you will need a different type if Dr. Harr suspects a problem below the gum line.
Please contact us to schedule a cleaning and digital X-ray in Fargo, ND, if it has been more than six months since we have seen you.
Sources
Dental X-rays – The Journal of the American Dental Association (ada.org)
How Safe Are Dental X-Rays? What’s involved and why they’re performed. (123dentist.com)
