X-ray images or dental radiographs are one of the most valuable tools a dentist has for keeping your mouth and teeth healthy. At Desert Dentistry, we always maintain radiation safety principles to minimize radiation doses. Our offices are equipped with digital radiographs, which significantly decrease the amount of radiation compared to conventional X-rays.

Dentists can diagnose problems in the teeth and jaws by understanding what the structures of the mouth look like normally on X-rays.

For adults, radiographs can:
-Show areas of decay that your dentist may not be able to see with just a visual examination, such as tiny pits of decay that might occur between teeth
-Find decay that is developing underneath an existing filling
-Find cracks or other damage in an existing filling
-Alert the dentist to possible bone loss associated with periodontal (gum) disease
-Reveal problems in the root canal, such as infection or death of the nerve
-Help your dentist plan, prepare, and place tooth implants, orthodontic treatments, dentures, or other dental work
-Reveal other abnormalities such as cysts, cancer, and changes associated with metabolic and systemic diseases (such as Paget’s disease and lymphoma)

For children, radiographs are used to watch for decay and to monitor tooth growth and development. Dentists will use periodic X-rays to determine:
-If there is space in the mouth to fit all the new teeth
-If the primary teeth are being lost quickly enough to allow permanent teeth to erupt properly
-If extra teeth are developing
-If any teeth are impacted and unable to emerge through the gums

Often, major problems can be prevented by early detection and treatment at your regular examinations.