The Benefits Of Dental Radiology

Answer 1

Dental radiology involves imaging the mouth and gums with advanced equipment. Traditionally, and still to this day, x-rays are used. This is done by projecting x-rays through the teeth and allowing them to strike a photosensitive plate or a digital sensor. The varying densities of the teeth create a grayscale image of the mouth and the internal structures of the teeth themselves.

Where normal x-ray film must actually be developed much like regular negatives, digital images usually appear instantaneously on a screen. Digital images of the teeth, however, have long suffered from a lack of resolution and detail. This is why so many standard x-ray film machines are still in use today.

Dental radiology is progressing, however, just as the rest of radiology is. There are a variety of new machines that can create panoramic images of the mouth all at once, removing the need for dentists to lace together separate x-rays manually. Computed tomography, also called CT scans, are also being used more frequently now to help image the entire mouth.

The images that are produced from dental radiology help the dentist to diagnose and catch problems that may not have been obvious from an oral examination. These scans can reveal evidence of decay inside of the tooth or in the root. It can also detect fractures below the gum line or damage to the jaw or other bones.

Dental radiology is also invaluable for finding cysts and abscesses. It can detect teeth that have not broken through the gums yet, or that are growing up through the gums misaligned and may require surgery.

Imaging the mouth in this way aids dentists and oral surgeons by allowing them to locate and isolate the exact area where a procedure must be performed. This can help to save the integrity of the entire tooth, where without the images the dentist would have to drill into the tooth and perform a kind of exploratory procedure that could leave it with an unnecessarily large opening.

Patients benefit from x-rays because they can show conditions that are developing in the gums and mouth which can be treated before they escalate into a larger problem. Also, since dentists can use the x-rays to reduce the amount of tooth that must be removed for certain procedures, the patient can keep more of their natural teeth.

Dental radiology is an invaluable asset for dentists, which is why they are a staple in every office.