X-Rays. It’s a touchy subject, especially for parents whose children are in need of one. While X-Rays are often a necessary part of healthcare, the amount of radiation that we expose ourselves to, and our children to, is a scary thought.
Traditionally, dentists believed that X-rays were a routine procedure, to be repeated at standard times throughout a patient’s life. However, dentists today are beginning to realize the unnecessary radiation exposure that this “one size fits all” approach demands.
Nowadays, dentists believe that X-Rays should be taken based on the patient’s unique case. Dentists across the U.S. are following the ALARA approach (as low as reasonably achievable). While this usually means less radiation exposure for you and your children, avoiding X-Rays altogether is both impossible and dangerous to your oral health.
Dental X-Rays are incredibly vital for spotting and diagnosing serious oral problems and diseases. However, the kind of X-Rays used by your dentist has a lot to do with the amount of radiation that you are exposed to.
At Dr. David Trotter’s office, we use digital X-Rays for our patients. Digital X-Rays are beneficial to patients for a variety of reasons.
Digital X-Rays vs. Traditional X-Rays
- Digital X-rays provide faster, more efficient images than a traditional X-Ray. Images from a digital X-Ray are quickly projected onto a computer screen so that our dentist and you can almost immediately see a clear image of your mouth. Traditional X-Rays take much longer to see these images, however, since dentists must wait to develop your X-Ray film.
- In the event that our dentist needs to send off your X-Rays to a specialist or to get a second opinion, this can be done almost immediately with the digital image that we receive immediately with our digital X-Rays.
- Our digital X-Rays also emit 70% less radiation than traditional X-Rays. This means that you and your children are exposed to a severely decreased amount of radiation every time an X-Ray is needed.
- Digital X-Rays are also environmentally friendly since no chemicals are needed to develop your X-Ray film.
Digital X-Rays at Dr. David Trotter’s Office
If you or your children are in need of dental X-Rays, visit our office at Dr. David Trotter, DDS. Our staff is experienced in providing digital X-Rays for safer and faster appointment times. Visit our office or call us today at (865) 453-2890 to schedule your appointment!