Oral health diagnosis and preventive dentistry have come a long way over the decades, and we have dental X-rays to thank for that. Its integration into practices allows us to identify, assess, and treat concerns of all kinds in record time. This article explains how. Keep reading to bolster your understanding of dental X-rays, covering everything from how they work and why they’re essential, to facts about radiation safety and science.
How X-Ray Improves Oral Health Diagnosis
X-rays are a telling tool when diagnosing issues throughout the body. That includes the mouth. Beyond broken bones, oral health concerns of all kinds can be identified and assessed with just a few simple scans. Prior to discovering this technology, doctors and dental professionals were limited to visual examinations and patient-reported symptoms, often missing crucial problems until they became severe.
Today, dental X-rays (radiographs) reveal issues invisible to the naked eye, including:
- Tooth decay between teeth
- Bone loss from periodontal disease
- Infections in the tooth root
- Impacted teeth
- Developmental abnormalities
- Unerupted or extra teeth
Dental professionals typically use several types of X-rays, as listed below.
Bitewing X-Rays: Show the crown portions of teeth on both upper and lower jaws in one image, ideal for detecting decay between teeth
Periapical X-Rays: Display the entire tooth from crown to root, ideal for identifying problems below the gumline
Panoramic X-Rays: Provide a broad view of the entire mouth in a single image, useful for planning orthodontic treatment or evaluating wisdom teeth
Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT): Creates detailed 3D images of teeth, soft tissues, and bone, essential for complex procedures like implant placement
How X-Rays Work
We all know what x-rays look like – black and white images of the inside of the body. Most people know radiation is to thank for making this see-through technology possible. But beyond that simple explanation, how does the scanning process actually work? Is it truly safe?
The Science Behind X-Rays
X-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths ranging from 0.01 to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range of 30 petahertz to 30 exahertz. Discovered by Wilhelm Röntgen in 1895, these high-energy photons possess the remarkable ability to penetrate materials that absorb or reflect visible light.
How X-Ray Imaging Works
The process begins with an X-ray tube, which contains a cathode (negative electrode) and an anode (positive electrode) sealed in a vacuum.
When the device is activated:
- The cathode is heated, releasing electrons through thermionic emission
- A high voltage (typically 30-150 kV) accelerates these electrons toward the anode
- Upon striking the anode (usually made of tungsten), the electrons rapidly decelerate
- This deceleration causes the release of energy in two forms:
- Bremsstrahlung radiation (braking radiation) produces a continuous spectrum of X-rays
- Characteristic radiation produces X-rays with specific energy levels unique to the anode material
When directed at the human body, these X-rays interact with tissues in different ways:
- Dense tissues (like bone) absorb more X-rays, appearing white on the image
- Soft tissues (like muscle) allow more X-rays to pass through, appearing in shades of gray
- Air-filled spaces allow most X-rays to pass through, appearing black
The X-rays that pass through the body strike a detector (traditionally film, now usually digital), creating a two-dimensional representation of the body’s internal structures.
Safety Considerations
Concerns surrounding the safety of X-rays are attributable to its association with radiation, which is a scary word for those who don’t know much about its different forms and exposure levels. While it’s true that X-rays are ionizing radiation capable of damaging living tissue, the medical community has established strict protocols like the ALARA principle (As Low As Reasonably Achievable), which sees scans calibrated so as to be as low as possible while still capable of obtaining necessary images.
Don’t forget that radiation is natural – humans are constantly exposed to background radiation from cosmic rays, soil, building materials, and even certain foods. The average person receives about 3.1 millisieverts (mSv) of natural background radiation annually, while a single dental X-ray delivers only about 0.005 mSv. Even so, our bodies have evolved mechanisms to repair damage from low-level exposure; the benefits of accurate diagnosis typically far outweigh the minimal risks associated with occasional X-ray procedures.
We’re lucky enough to live in a time when oral care concerns of all kinds can be uncovered with no more than a few dental X-rays. There’s no excuse to put them off – especially not when Dentistry at Frederick is equipped with the machines and trained personnel for an equally quick and insightful imaging experience.
From preventative dentistry to oral health diagnosis to short-term and long-term treatment, we’re ready to support you however needed. Whenever, too. Considerate operating hours make it easy to find an appointment time that works. The only thing standing in the way is a phone call. Get in touch with us today!
