Digital X-Rays
Dental X-rays are pictures of the teeth, bones, and soft tissues around them to help find problems with the teeth, mouth, and jaw. X-ray pictures can show cavities, hidden dental structures (such as wisdom teeth), and bone loss that cannot be seen during a visual examination. Dental X-rays may also be done as follow-up after dental treatments.
Here at Bluegrass Dental Associates we use a state of the art panoramic machine that moves around the patient's head. Some people may be familiar with the panoramic X-ray because it is usually taken when the wisdom teeth are being evaluated. The X-ray will also reveal deep cavities and gum disease. Panoramic X-rays show a broad view of the jaws, teeth, sinuses, nasal area, and temporomandibular (jaw) joints. These X-rays also show problems such as impacted teeth, bone abnormalities, cysts, solid growths (tumors), infections, and fractures.
The panoramic X-ray has many other applications, including evaluating patients with past or present TMJ or jaw joint problems; those who require full or partial removable dentures, dental implants, or braces; those who are at risk or suspected of having oral cancer or other tumors of the jaw, have impacted teeth (especially wisdom teeth) or have had any recent trauma to the face or teeth.
Dental X-rays are done to:
* Find problems in the mouth such as tooth decay, damage to the bones supporting the teeth, and dental injuries (such as broken tooth roots). Dental X-rays are often done to find these problems early, before any symptoms are present.
* Find teeth that are not in the right place or do not break through the gum properly.
* Find cysts, solid growths (tumors), or abscesses.
* Plan treatment for large or extensive cavities, root canal surgery, placement of dental implants, and difficult tooth removals.
