Why do you need x-rays
When it comes to radiographs; commonly called x-rays, we routinely get asked questions like “How many?” “How often?” and “Is it safe?”. We love these types of questions at Lux because it means you care about your oral health and are concerned regarding radiation safety. We take your overall health very seriously and can appreciate your valid concerns.
How many? Dental radiographs can detect oral health problems at the earliest stages, problems such as cavities, gum disease, infections as well as cysts and tumours. Often times dental problems go undetected if a client refuses radiographs, potentially causing the dental team to inadvertently miss any troublesome areas. We follow the principles of ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) meaning we always prescribe the least amount of radiation necessary.
How often? The type and frequency of radiographs depends on your medical and dental history. High risk clients may need them as often as 6 months while others with no gum disease only require them every few years. The best judge to the frequency would be discussed with you at your first appointment. Have radiographs within the last 6-12 months? With your signed permission we can always obtain copies from your records from your previous dentist. We only radiate when the benefits outweigh the risks of administering the low doses of dental xrays.
Is it safe? Dental xrays are an extremely useful and diagnostic tool when helping our dentists detect areas of cavities, infection and oral health assessments. Radiation has come a LONG WAY! Depending on how sophisticated the equipment is, xrays machines require low levels of radiation exposure, which makes the risk of potential harmful effects quite small. Furthermore, radiation from digital xrays machines can be as little as 10% of what clients and dental staff could potentially be exposed to with film based radiography. Not only is digital xrays better for the environment (with no developing and fixer solutions), they can be viewed on a computer monitor within seconds of it being exposed!
Lux Dental Group proudly offers digital radiography on site!
When a new client enters our practice we are committed to helping you achieve optimal oral health! We take pride in our all our phases of assessments, diagnosis, planning, implementing and evaluate our success in a timely fashion. During this process it’s imperative for us to take necessary radiographs to assess and diagnose any areas that concerns us. We want to treat families the way we expect to be treated when we are in the dental chair ourselves. Come see for yourselves how we put the smile in your tooth-pics!
