A visual dental exam may not highlight deeper or less visible damage or decay, and an x-ray may be needed to get to the root of the impairment. Digital x-rays are an innovation in dental technology, aimed at making the procedure safer and more effective. We use the most updated form of digital x-ray technology at our dental clinic in San Antonio, TX
Today’s sophisticated digital x-rays help with better diagnosis and detection of oral diseases, which in turn allows for more effective dental care and treatment.
What are Digital X-Rays?
Traditional dental x-rays are images of your oral structure, showing your teeth, surrounding bone and anomalies.
While x-rays emit low levels of radiation and doctors take full care to keep the patient safe from exposure, they may still be unsafe for those with particular conditions or diseases. Other issues include environmental concerns and the time delays that occur in waiting for the x-ray film to be developed.
To overcome these concerns, an advanced technology, known as digital radiography, has been developed as a replacement for conventional dental x-rays. At All About Smiles, we use digital x-ray equipment to ensure you’re as safe as possible!
How do Dental X-Rays Work?
- The basic procedure of digital radiography is similar to that of a traditional dental x-ray, since both use sensors to capture images of your dental structure.
- However, while regular x-rays use conventional photographic film to take images, digital radiographs use digitized x-ray sensors connected to a computer.
- The captured image then appears on the computer screen, where it can be viewed directly by Dr. Patel.
Benefits of Digital X-Rays in Dentistry
There are several reasons why digital x-rays are preferred over traditional ones:
- Safety – Digital x-rays are far safer than conventional ones. The equipment and overall procedure emit up to 90% lower radiation levels than regular x-rays. Enhanced protection makes digital x-rays the best solution for patients concerned about radiation emissions. In fact, with our handheld x-ray, you are exposed to less radiation than a walk in the sun!
- Speed – Regular x-ray procedures can be time-consuming, as it takes time to develop the film. With digital x-rays, chemical processing is eliminated. The sensor is connected to a computer, and the image is displayed on the screen in a matter of seconds!
- Image Quality – X-ray images captured by digital sensors are of a higher quality than those taken by regular sensors. With better technology come better results!
- Flexibility – Image size, color, contrast and brightness can be adjusted on the screen to allow for better visibility and a better detection of even the smallest cavities. We can also print out the digital image easily if you require a hardcopy.
- Eco-Friendliness – One of the concerns with traditional x-rays is that they are harmful for the environment, destructive chemicals are used in the development procedure. However, digital X-ray technology does not harm the environment.
Whether it’s restorative therapy or cosmetic dentistry, digital x-rays are important tools in helping us diagnose and treat dental issues thoroughly and effectively. To put it in a nutshell, they help us look beneath the surface to see what’s wrong, so we can then work on fixing it!