Has Your Family Dentist Prescribed Dental X-Rays For Your Child? Read This!

When some parents hear the word x-ray from their family dentist, their initial instinct is to panic. This reaction can be blamed on the fact that x-rays are typically associated with broken bones, so you could be thinking that there is something seriously wrong with your child's oral structure, but this is not usually the case. In dentistry, x-rays are vital diagnostic tools that will help the family dentist have a clear picture of what is going on inside your child's mouth.

Therefore, they do not usually translate into doom and gloom since, in typical scenarios, the x-rays will help the dentist uncover potential issues that they could have missed. Keep reading for a summary of what you should know when your family dentist prescribes dental x-rays for your child.

What are the different types of x-rays the dentist will take?

Bitewing x-ray

This is one of the most common x-rays that family dentists will prescribe. A bitewing x-ray functions to image both the upper and the lower teeth of the patient so the family dentist has an unobstructed view of all the teeth. This type of x-ray is principally beneficial in diagnosing cavities that can be hidden in the molars and in between the child's teeth, as it is hard to get a clear view of these areas. A bitewing x-ray can also be utilized to check the condition of the jawbone since it can lose density if your child has progressive gum disease.

Panoramic x-ray

At the outset, the panoramic x-ray may seem similar to the bitewing x-ray since it images all your kid's teeth. However, the difference lies in how the images are taken. Unlike the bitewing x-ray that takes a picture of the parts of the teeth that are hidden, a panoramic x-ray will take an image of the entire mouth, which includes the hard and soft palates, teeth that have not erupted, the inner lining of the lips, and so on. The main aim of a panoramic x-ray is to establish if your child's oral development is on track while checking for any abnormalities.

Periapical x-ray

The third type of x-ray that a family dentist may prescribe for your child is a periapical x-ray. This x-ray focuses on one tooth at a time and works to image the entire structure from the crown up to the root below the gum line and even the underlying jawbone. Periapical x-rays are vital when your child complains of tooth pain yet you cannot visualize anything out of the ordinary since this diagnostic test can check for tooth impaction and hidden abscesses.

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