X-rays for children
There is no standard timetable for when your child’s mouth should be X-rayed. The need varies with the child’s development and dental health. If your child has had many cavities and fillings or has a high risk of tooth decay, it is recommended X-rays every six months. This can help to detect cavities developing between teeth. Whether X-rays are needed also depends on how well your child brushes and flosses, and your child’s diet.
Description
The need for dental X-ray films varies for each child. They are most likely taken to identify potential problems unseen by a visual exam. Generally, children need X-rays more often than adults as their mouths are still growing and changing. In addition, they are more susceptible to tooth decay and thus are important to identify potential cavities with early diagnosis.
What to Expect
During the x-ray, your child will wear a protective lead body apron which acts to shield and protect them from exposure. Using the most up-to-date equipment, unnecessary x-rays beams are filtered while high-speed film and proper shielding minimize your child’s radiation exposure. Contemporary safeguards minimize your child’s exposure to radiation. The amount of radiation received during a dental x-ray exam is extremely minimal and poses negligible risk to your child.
Results
In addition to detecting cavities in teeth, X-rays also identity erupting teeth, help diagnose bone disease, plan orthodontic treatment or diagnose other health conditions that are difficult to identify with a visual exam. Dental problems found and treated early enough are generally more comfortable for the child and more affordable.
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