When you go for a dental checkup, your dentist may recommend a dental x-rays test to assess your dental health. This dental x-rays test can help a dentist know a lot of things about your oral and dental health. For instance, if you have a cavity in any of the interdental spaces, your dentist will not be able to know about it through a physical checkup. Dental x-rays, on the other hand, will surely put a clear picture about the cavity status.

It would be worth mentioning here that many people are concerned about the effects of radiation which is generated when an x-rays beam is fired. If you are worried about the impact of radiation while going for the dental x-rays, this article is for you.

How do the dental x-ray tests work?

X-rays use a beam of electromagnetic waves which draw picture of the internal organs, bones and tissues on an x-ray film. Dental x-rays work in two ways, i.e. intraorally and extraorally. Intra-oral x-rays use the dental sensor inside the mouth while this sensor is kept outside the mouth in case of extraoral x-rays.

Intraoral X-rays are more common because they help the dentist in assessing the bone density of your teeth and jawbone. The dental x-rays can also be helpful in diagnosing gum disease and tooth decay even in the early stages. Extra-oral x-rays are typically handy when an assessment of the health of your teeth and gums is required.

What to expect during dental x-rays?

The process of dental x-rays test is pretty quick and convenient. First of all, you dentist will put an apron and a collar on you in order to protect you from radiation. If you are going for the intra-oral x-rays test, your dentist will position a piece of plastic or cardboard for the purpose of holding the film. Once the film is settled at right position, the x-rays machine will be moved along the cheek to make a picture of the area your dentist wants to be shown on the film. The dentist may also adjust sensor in different positions to take different images. The images are developed immediately.

What are the risks involved in dental x-rays?

As mentioned above, x-rays involve firing of the radiation which can be dangerous for the human health. However, the dental x-rays are not dangerous due to the fact that they use very little amount of radiation. This amount of radiation is too small to cause any kind of trouble for the human health. However, your dentist will still take a number of precautionary measures to make sure that you remain safe from the effects of radiation. If you have any condition which doesn’t allow you to get exposed to the radiation caused by x-rays, you need to talk about it with your dentist.