Digital Dental X-Rays

What are digital dental X-rays for?

X-rays are the only way to identify problems that aren’t externally visible. Dental X-rays allow the dentist to see what is below the surface of your teeth and diagnose any possible problems they can’t see just by looking in your mouth.

Digital dental X-rays are essential for a complete and thorough dental examination. Digital X-rays are more crisp and clean than traditional film X-rays. The image can be modified and enhanced for further diagnostic ability, so you can get the treatment you need more efficiently.

Digital X-rays allow the hygienist and dentist to walk patients through any obvious issues and help our patients understand their conditions in ways not possible before.

At Kennerly Dental, we love to walk our patients through their diagnosis and possible treatments. Our digital X-ray technology makes that process much easier.

If caught early with X-rays, many dental problems can be treated effectively before you experience discomfort or more severe symptoms.

New 3D digital images can now be utilized to determine and prevent potential problems related to tooth extractions, root canal treatment, and even implant placement.

There are many things dental X-rays reveal, including:

Upper and lower jaws and the sinus areas
Bone anatomy and density
Decay between the teeth and how extensive it is
Impacted teeth
Whether an abscess is present
If children have permanent teeth missing and eruption patterns
Jaw disorders

How often do I need dental X-rays?

The number and type of X-rays you will need depends on several factors like age, current dental health, and external signs that show a cause for concern.

Some people may need X-rays as often as every six months, but others who visit their dentist regularly and have no recent history of dental or gum disease may only need X-rays yearly.

If you are a new patient, we may take X-rays as part of the initial exam to establish a record from which we can compare changes that may occur over time and between appointments.

At Kennerly Dental, we are sensitive to your concerns about radiation exposure, and we only perform dental X-rays procedures that are necessary for your continued dental health.

Dental X-rays are safe, right?

Yes. New digital dental X-ray sensors and panoramic machines significantly reduce patient exposure to radiation because they require a fraction of what conventional X-rays need.

Because of the evolution of new digital dental X-ray systems, our office can take a radiograph, and the image shows up immediately on the computer screen. The digital system prevents the need for retakes and potentially more exposure to radiation.

Even with advanced technology that significantly limits the amount of radiation you’ll be exposed to during a digital dental X-ray, we have the added protection of a leaded apron to reduce further exposure.

Kennerly Dental offers dental services with state-of-the-art technology, but we won’t suggest a treatment option that hasn’t been tried and proven to be effective and safe.

You can rest easy knowing that we won’t test new and possibly unsafe technology or techniques on our patients until they have been proven to be more effective than current technology.

Still have questions or concerns?

If you have any questions or concerns about dental X-rays, feel free to discuss them with any of our staff. They are highly trained in the prudent and effective use of dental X-rays and share your concerns about exposure levels.

We want to make sure you’re comfortable with any course of treatment that we offer during your appointment.

At Kennerly Dental, our friendly staff comes to work with a “Patient First” attitude. We recognize that every person deserves individualized dental care specific to their dental needs.

We’re a family dental office that makes a point to listen to our patients’ needs and treat them as individuals. All of our experienced team members are custom trained to provide a comfortable, gentle, and high-quality dental experience.