{"id":204431,"date":"2021-10-18T00:34:28","date_gmt":"2021-10-18T00:34:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wemakekidssmile.net\/?p=204431"},"modified":"2021-10-18T00:34:28","modified_gmt":"2021-10-18T00:34:28","slug":"how-safe-are-dental-x-rays-on-a-scale-of-1-to-10","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wemakekidssmile.net\/how-safe-are-dental-x-rays-on-a-scale-of-1-to-10\/","title":{"rendered":"How Safe Are Dental X-rays on a Scale of 1 to 10?"},"content":{"rendered":"

What Parents Should Know About Their Kids\u2019 Dental X-rays<\/h1>\n

X-rays are a routine part of preventive dental appointments, but many parents are concerned about radiation exposure. This often brings up questions about the overall safety of an X-ray for kids and whether they are necessary.<\/p>\n

If you find yourself worried about X-rays and radiation, here is some important information you should know.<\/p>\n

Are dental X-rays safe for kids?<\/h2>\n

On a scale of 1 to 10, dental X-rays easily rank 9 to 10 for safety. Modern digital X-ray technology has reduced the amount of radiation produced by as much as 80%<\/a>. This means your child is being exposed to even less radiation during their X-rays than you did as a child.<\/p>\n

The safety of dental X-rays is strictly controlled by both the manufacturers of the technology and your child\u2019s pediatric dentist.<\/p>\n

What safety measures are being used when my child has an X-ray taken?<\/h2>\n

Sometimes your child\u2019s X-rays are taken so quickly that you may wonder exactly what is happening in terms of safety. Pediatric dental professionals make taking these special images look easy, but there are a few things going on you may not notice.<\/p>\n

First your child\u2019s pediatric dentist follows ADA and AAPD guidelines on what types of X-rays should be taken and how often they are required. Pediatric dentists follow a principle called ALARA, which is an acronym for \u201das low as reasonably achievable.\u201d This means using the lowest amount of radiation possible to get a clear picture only when necessary for treatment.<\/p>\n

Additional safety measures are a bit more obvious, such as the protective lead apron over your child\u2019s body. Only a single beam of radiation is used when X-rays are taken, making it quite localized to your child\u2019s smile. However, the protective shield ensures the rest of your child\u2019s body is protected regardless.<\/p>\n

When does my child need X-rays taken?<\/h2>\n

Part of the ALARA principle is to take X-rays only when necessary for the care or treatment of your child\u2019s oral health. The exact frequency of X-rays really depends on your individual child and their oral health history.<\/p>\n

Kids with a history of tooth decay will get X-rays taken more often for preventive reasons than kids without a history of tooth decay. But on average, most kids have one set of X-rays taken\u00a0 annually.<\/p>\n

As an adult, you may only have full X-rays taken every one or two years or if a problem needs to be diagnosed. Kids generally have X-rays more often because they are in a state of development with baby teeth shedding and adult teeth erupting. With so much going on under the surface, a pediatric dentist needs to be able to make sure everything is developing properly.<\/p>\n

Kids may also have additional X-rays taken for needed treatment like cavities<\/a> or baby root canals.<\/p>\n

What types of X-rays will my child\u2019s pediatric dentist take?<\/h2>\n

There are five different types of X-rays pediatric dentists take to monitor and treat your child\u2019s smile.<\/p>\n

1. Bitewing<\/h3>\n

Bitewings are used to check for cavities and make sure fillings are properly sealed. These make monitoring decay and the health of fillings easy.<\/p>\n

2. Periapical<\/h3>\n

Periapicals are usually used when a single tooth needs treatment since they focus on only one or two teeth. They show the whole structure of the tooth from root to crown.<\/p>\n

3. Occlusal<\/h3>\n

Occlusals allow dentists to see the development of the upper and lower arches of your child\u2019s smile. They give an idea of how your child\u2019s bite is aligned.<\/p>\n

4. Panoramic<\/h3>\n

Panoramic radiographs provide an entire picture of your child\u2019s smile in a single X-ray. This includes the upper jaw, lower jaw, and all teeth above and below the gumline.<\/p>\n

5. Cephalometric<\/h3>\n

Cephalometrics take a side-profile image of your child\u2019s mouth and jaw. They are most often used when planning orthodontic treatment<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Is a dental X-ray really necessary or beneficial?<\/h2>\n

Yes! Your child\u2019s dentist will never take unnecessary X-rays. They are required to monitor your child\u2019s progress and support treatment.<\/p>\n

The real X-ray benefit is that they give pediatric dentists a highly accurate and detailed view of your child\u2019s smile, including the alignment of their teeth, hidden cavities<\/a> or damage, and even tumors that may be lurking around their jaw. These things usually cannot be seen visually, meaning if X-rays weren\u2019t available, a significant number of oral health problems couldn\u2019t be diagnosed and treated early.<\/p>\n

Simply put, X-rays directly benefit a pediatric dentist\u2019s ability to examine, diagnose, treat, and monitor their patients. In turn, your child benefits from a higher level of care.<\/p>\n

We Make Kids Smile provides safe X-rays and compassionate dental care to kids in southern Maryland.<\/h2>\n

You can trust the We Make Kids Smile dental care team to put your child\u2019s safety first in every situation.<\/p>\n

If your child is due for a six-month checkup and professional cleaning, give our Waldorf or Prince Frederick office a call to schedule an appointment. For booking outside of business hours, you can fill out our easy online form<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What Parents Should Know About Their Kids\u2019 Dental X-rays X-rays are a routine part of preventive dental appointments, but many parents are concerned about radiation exposure. This often brings up questions about the overall safety of an X-ray for kids and whether they are necessary. If you find yourself worried about X-rays and radiation, here […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":204435,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[134],"yoast_head":"\nHow Safe Are Dental X-rays on a Scale of 1 to 10? - We Make Kids Smile<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Dental X-rays are a normal part of a child\u2019s dental evaluation. But how safe are they? 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