Digital X-Rays
Spokane, WA
 You may not have given this much thought, but now that it is 2020, you may be thinking about all of the advancements in technology. Maybe you watched “The Jetsons” as a kid and dreamed of driving around in a jet car and flying to school on a jet pack. While you’re still not able to fly around on a jet pack yet, there are lots of advancements in the digital world. You can call a car with an app.
You might also be able to build a grocery list from your refrigerator on an app from your phone. We are big fans of digital technology, because it allows us to take great pictures your teeth, gums, jawbone and other structures quickly. Let Dynamic Dental Care talk to you more about the science of digital radiography.
Why We Need It
We have used x-rays for years. X-rays allow us to see your jaw, your teeth and your gums. X-rays are great, because they help us track changes in your mouth over time. While x-rays are great, there are some problems with x-rays. First, there are many people who are concerned, because x-rays carry radiation, and people worry about the effects of radiation on the body over time.
Also, we couldn’t develop x-rays quickly. If we found a problem, it was usually after you left, and that meant you had to come back in. Many adults are so busy they don’t have time for multiple visits to anyone. X-rays can also be difficult to read, as some images, especially soft tissues, make parts of your mouth blurry. We needed something better as a tool to find problems.
The Innovation
Digital radiography is a great innovation to our practice. First, digital radiography uses far less radiation than traditional x-rays do. Also, digital x-rays are instant. They appear on our monitor screens seconds after we take them, which means if there is a problem, we can address it quickly, often before you leave our office. This saves you time and money. Digital radiography also takes great pictures, which means that the pictures come out clear, and allow us to address anything that doesn’t look right, even if it is in your soft tissues.
How Does It Work?
There are two ways we take digital x-rays. First, we can use intraoral x-rays. With intraoral x-rays, you have to bite down on a piece of plastic, the way you did in the past. However, we only need two pictures instead of four, because we can get a complete digital x-ray of your mouth in two pictures.
Sometimes, we’ll take peripheral x-rays, especially if you are having problems with your jawbone or specific teeth. These x-rays show teeth from the crown to the jawbone, which is great if you are having trouble with bone loss. Peripheral x-rays can also be used to find gum disease and tooth abscesses. We might also take a complete x-ray outside your mouth, using a panoramic x-ray or an extraoral x-ray. There’s no limit to what we can find on our new digital x-rays!
If you have questions about digital radiography, why not give Dynamic Dental Care a call at (509) 466-2587? |
