Dental x-rays are an important part of maintaining good oral health. But how often should you have them? The answer depends on your medical and dental history, as well as the current condition of your mouth. For those with no risk of tooth decay, dental x-rays can be performed every 12 to 24 months. Adults with restored teeth, such as crowns, implants, fillings and bridges, should have dental x-rays every 12 to 18 months.
The American Dental Association (ADA) suggests that patients with recurrent tooth decay or other complicated problems should have X-rays taken once or twice a year. The ADA also recommends that healthy adults with no major dental problems only need to have X-rays every two to three years. However, full x-rays are common in preparation for many dental procedures, such as extractions and root straightening. Some people may need X-rays as often as six months, while those who visit the dentist regularly and have excellent oral health may need x-rays only every three years or so.X-rays are a very common dental procedure that allows the dentist to see the depths of the gums, including bones, tooth roots, and tooth enamel.
They are used to get a complete picture of the health of the teeth, jaw, and the bone underneath. Dentists quickly realize that there are multiple sources of radiation in your daily life that expose you to higher levels than a dental x-ray.To put dental x-rays into perspective, a single digital dental x-ray has 0.1 mrem of radiation and a set of 4 bites has 0.4 mrem. The average dental x-ray is estimated to contain about the same amount of radiation that you will absorb from natural sources in one day.Basically, while dental x-rays expose you to certain radiation, the benefits of doing them outweigh the risks. Many dental problems are invisible to the naked eye, and x-rays allow the dentist to discover a variety of problems with tooth enamel, gums, and tooth roots.Dental Associates of Basking Ridge is a compassionate, friendly and professional state-of-the-art dental office serving Basking Ridge, Morris & Somerset County.
