Ever wonder why X-rays are so necessary during your dental visits? Dental X-rays reveal what’s happening beneath the surface of your smile, showing problems like hidden cavities, impacted teeth, or bone loss that might otherwise be completely invisible. They’re like secret detectives working for your smile, catching potential issues before they turn into painful problems or expensive treatments.
At Newport Beach Dental Center, Dr. Laura Sharbash, DDS, FAGD, D.ABDSM, uses dental X-rays as part of a comprehensive approach to dental care. With state-of-the-art digital X-ray technology, our dentist in Newport Beach provides safer, faster, and more precise diagnostic capabilities while upholding our commitment to your health and safety. Our light-hearted but factual approach ensures you understand the importance of these images while feeling comfortable with the procedure.
There are several types of dental X-rays, each serving different diagnostic purposes. Understanding these different types can help you appreciate why your dentist might recommend specific X-rays during your visits.
Bitewing X-rays show the upper and lower teeth in one section of the mouth and are excellent for detecting cavities between teeth. These X-rays are commonly taken during check-ups and help monitor changes over time.
Periapical X-rays provide a view of an entire tooth from crown to root, including the surrounding bone. These images are essential for diagnosing root problems, evaluating dental trauma, and assessing the health of surrounding bone structures.
Panoramic X-rays build a single image of your mouth, including all teeth, jaws, and surrounding structures. These comprehensive images help evaluate wisdom teeth, plan for implants, and detect abnormalities in jaw development. They’re particularly useful for children and adolescents whose teeth and jaws are still developing.
CBCT (Cone Beam Computed Tomography) scans provide detailed 3D images that are invaluable for complex procedures like implant placement, root canal therapy, and orthodontic planning. These advanced images offer high-quality detail of your bone structure, nerve pathways, and tooth orientation.
The frequency of dental X-rays relies on your oral health needs, age, risk for disease, and any signs or symptoms of oral disease. Whether you’re a new patient, adult, or child, there’s no one-size-fits-all schedule for dental X-rays.
A complete set of dental X-rays is often required for new patients to establish an oral health baseline and identify any existing problems. This comprehensive initial assessment helps us develop a personalized treatment plan and provides a reference point for monitoring changes over time.
For adults with good oral health and no immediate dental concerns, bitewing X-rays may be recommended every 18-24 months. If you have a history of gum disease, frequent cavities, or other dental issues, more frequent X-rays may be necessary to monitor your condition.
Children and adolescents typically need X-rays more frequently than adults because their mouths are developing and changing rapidly, and they’re generally more susceptible to tooth decay. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry suggests children at high risk for decay should have bitewing X-rays every six months. In comparison, those at lower risk might only need them every 12-24 months.
If you’re experiencing pain, swelling, or other symptoms, specific X-rays might be necessary regardless of when your last images were taken. These diagnostic images help identify the source of your discomfort and guide appropriate treatment.
Today’s dental X-rays use significantly lower radiation levels than those of the past, making them safer than ever before. Digital X-rays, which we use at Newport Beach Dental Center, reduce radiation exposure by up to 80% compared to traditional film X-rays. To put dental X-ray radiation in perspective, a complete mouth series of digital X-rays exposes you to roughly the same amount of radiation you’d naturally receive from your environment in a single day. Because of this, the health benefits of identifying and treating dental problems early far outweigh this minimal radiation risk.
We also take several safety measures to further minimize your exposure during dental X-rays. These measures include:
In addition to these safety protocols, we take precautions for pregnant patients. While the radiation from dental X-rays is minimal and generally considered safe during pregnancy, we typically postpone routine X-rays until after delivery. However, if you’re experiencing a dental emergency during pregnancy, the benefits of diagnostic X-rays likely outweigh the risks. However, we will always discuss these considerations with you to help make an informed decision based on your specific situation.
At Newport Beach Dental Center, we practice biomimetic dentistry, which focuses on preserving natural tooth structure and function. Dental X-rays play a crucial role in this approach by allowing us to detect problems at their earliest stages when more conservative treatments are possible.
Biomimetic dentistry emphasizes minimal intervention and maximum preservation of healthy tooth structure. X-rays help us identify exactly where decay or damage exists so we can precisely target our treatments without unnecessarily removing healthy tooth material. For example, if X-rays reveal early enamel demineralization that hasn’t yet developed into a full cavity, we recommend remineralization strategies rather than drilling and filling. If a small cavity is detected, we can perform a minimally invasive biomimetic restoration that preserves as much natural tooth structure as possible.
X-rays also help us monitor the effectiveness of our treatments over time. By comparing current X-rays with previous images, we can assess whether interventions are working as intended or if adjustments are needed to your treatment plan.
At Newport Beach Dental Center, your oral health is our top priority. Dr. Laura Sharbash, DDS, FAGD, D.ABDSM, brings her extensive training and experience to provide exceptional dental care using the latest technology and techniques. As a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry (FAGD), Dr. Sharbash is among the top 6 percent of general dentists who have gone above and beyond in their pursuit of continuing education, completing over 500 credit hours of education, with 350 of those hours in live courses.
We combine our expertise with state-of-the-art digital X-ray technology to provide accurate diagnoses while minimizing radiation exposure. Our light-hearted but factual approach ensures you’re comfortable and well-informed throughout your visit. Whether you’re due for routine X-rays or experiencing dental concerns that require diagnostic imaging, we’re here to help. Contact us today at (949) 760-9212 or through our contact form to schedule your appointment.
1441 Avocado Ave, Ste 606 Newport Beach, CA 92660
