Imaging

We love technology. We use scanners to monitor our patients over time so we can see more than we ever have before. We use the iTero scanner. We can now scan instead of taking impressions for most people and we now have the ability to superimpose the scans we take over time of you so we can see much smaller changes and record them.                 

There’s a lot going on in your mouth that is not visible to the naked eye. By taking X-rays, our team is provided with a comprehensive assessment of the health of your mouth.

We have small intra-oral (inside your mouth) x-rays and extraoral (taken outside of your mouth) x-rays. We use our Cone beam CBCT to plan for wisdom tooth removal and implant placements, as well as checking the root position of your teeth before we straighten them with Invisalign.  

No visible signs of trouble

Tooth decay can be sneaky – it doesn’t tend to show physical signs of its presence early on. X-rays are an important diagnostic tool that allows your dentist to confirm if you have tooth decay or if you have any problems such as infection around the roots of the tooth or bone loss. Spotting it early means your dentist can deal with the problem before it becomes significant. 
 

Safe for everyone

Regardless of whether you’re a child or an adult, you can have X-rays safely taken of the inside and outside of your mouth. The amount of radiation involved is extremely low and is equivalent to the sort of exposure you’d receive on a 1-2 hour flight. This means that even if you’re pregnant you can have X-rays taken, although they are generally kept to a minimum during this period and a lead apron would be placed over the stomach.
 

Why X-rays are needed

The types of X-rays your dentist will take will depend on the conditions for which you are being assessed. The decision to take an X-ray and the type of X-ray taken will be influenced by such things as your past and present oral health, an examination of your mouth, your age, risk of disease, and any early symptoms of oral disease.
 

What can dental X-rays detect?

• Small areas of decay between teeth not visible in the mouth
• Problems with existing fillings, root canals, crowns or bridges
• The presence and severity of gum disease
• Abscesses or other sorts of infections
• Tooth development issues such as malformed teeth, extra or missing teeth etc.
• Cysts and some types of tumors
• Traumatic injuries such as tooth and bone fractures
• Proximity of teeth to nerves and sinuses
• The development of wisdom teeth and if there is a need for them to be removed
• The amount of bone needed for dental implants

If an X-ray shows decay our team will discuss treatment options with you. These options may be preventive to slow or stop further progression of the decay or may involve a filling if there is an actual cavity.

Source: ADA 21.10.2020 https://www.ada.org.au/Your-Dental-Health/Adults-31-64/Dental-X-Rays