Digital dental x-rays are more efficient and safer than traditional film x-rays. Even though conventional dental x-rays only emit low levels of radiation we know some patients are concerned about exposure and their safety. With digital dental x-rays, you need have no concerns because this equipment exposes you to far lower levels of radiation. In fact, digital dental x-rays produce up to 90% less radiation compared with film x-rays. Our digital x-ray equipment is exceptionally well maintained, and we always take every precaution to keep our patients safe during all treatments.
Digital Dental X-Ray procedure
The actual procedure for having a digital dental x-ray is very similar to a traditional x-ray. Our dentist will carefully insert a sensor into your mouth and will capture the image of your teeth or jaws. This digital sensor sends the information directly to a computer so that the images taken can be instantly viewed on a screen in the treatment room. Alternatively, images may be taken using a specialized scanner, or we can use a combination of a sensor and a scanner to produce a digital image. The exact method used is dependent on the type of x-ray required.
Advantages
Once the digital image is on-screen, we can adjust it if necessary, enlarging or magnifying any areas which require close inspection. This makes it much more straight-forward to identify any small cavities or other areas of concern. With digital radiography, we can diagnose any problems more efficiently and more quickly, without the need to wait until an x-ray film is developed.
If a second opinion is required, these digital images can be emailed to a dental specialist, which is a much faster and more efficient way than having to mail conventional x-ray films.
Another nice thing about digital x-rays is that they are more environmentally friendly. We live in such a beautiful part of the world so it’s nice to think that we can keep it that way without using unnecessary chemicals to develop film. Everyone here at THE DENTIST Dental Clinic much prefers digital dental x-rays because they are stored online and can quickly be retrieved if necessary, without the need to search for hard copies of patient’s files.
