Digital X-Rays
Digital X-Rays in Phoenix, AZ
At Agave Dental, we are dedicated to your health and safety. As technology advances, even processes we used to take for granted – like dental x-rays – improve and become safer, more efficient, and more effective.
Digital x-rays, which use an electronic sensor to create images of your mouth, actually use up to 80 to 90% less radiation than traditional film x-rays. This is a significant improvement and is one of the primary reasons that we have chosen to go digital in our practice.
The advantages of digital x-rays don’t stop there, however.
The Digital Advantage
In addition to considerably reducing the level of radiation that patients are exposed to, digital x-rays allow for improved diagnostics and are even a more environmentally friendly option than traditional x-rays.
With digital x-rays, the images are sent directly to the computer, allowing your Agave Dental dentist to view them almost instantly, reducing the time you spend in the dentist’s chair. Since the images are digital, we can zoom in and enlarge the image to get a closer look at anything that might be concerning.
Your images can be stored directly in your electronic patient file, which means that we can immediately pull up older images for comparison if we are monitoring an issue or checking development (a feature that is especially valuable when treating children).
Since no chemicals or film are needed for processing (and no space is needed for film storage), digital x-rays are a much more eco-friendly solution compared to traditional x-rays, a fact that both our staff and our patients appreciate.
Why Are X-Rays Necessary?
Patients often ask us why x-rays are needed at all since we perform such a thorough visual exam at every check-up and cleaning. X-rays are actually one of the most valuable and effective diagnostic tools we have. While our dentists and hygienists are skilled at detecting problems visually, it’s impossible for them to see what is happening beneath the surface of the teeth or below the gums. By the time a problem is visible to the naked eye, significant damage may already have occurred, you might be in pain, and simple treatment may no longer be possible.
With digital x-rays, we can spot problems when they are first occurring – when they are small and easily treated with highly conservative and less invasive measures, saving you time, money, and discomfort.
Some of the problems we are likely to spot with digital x-rays that might be missed with just a visual exam include:
- Tumors–cancerous, noncancerous, and precancerous
- Decay between the teeth or below the gumline
- Abscesses, cysts, and other infections
- Damage to the bone caused by periodontal disease
- Poor root and tooth positioning that may require orthodontic treatment
- Developmental abnormalities, particularly in children, that require monitoring
How Often Do I Need X-Rays?
We recommend that every new patient have a full mouth series performed. This helps us to give you the best start possible at Agave Dental and make sure that no problems go undetected. This series is typically good for the next three to five years; however, if you are being treated for certain issues (like periodontal disease), we may require more x-rays to check on the condition of your bone.
Bitewing x-rays, which are x-rays taken with your top and bottom teeth biting together, are performed once or twice per year at your recall visits. These are the x-rays we use to watch for new dental issues.
Your Health is our priority
Is it time for you to have a check-up? Has it been awhile since you’ve had dental x-rays? Call Agave Dental today to schedule your appointment. We are happy to answer any questions you might have about digital x-rays or dental x-rays in general.
