If you have ever broken a bone, you will be familiar with the use of x-rays to show what is going on underneath your skin. You may be more puzzled when your dentist uses the same method to look at your teeth—particularly if they seem to be healthy. What is your dentist looking for?
Tooth decay
Early tooth decay may not be obvious just from visually inspecting the teeth. There may be problems developing beneath the enamel, between your teeth or under the edge of your fillings. The sooner these problems are discovered, the easier and cheaper they are to deal with. Using x-rays allows dentists to see parts of the teeth that are usually not visible so they can then deal with oncoming tooth decay at an early stage.
Gum disease
Periodontal disease, or gum disease, can also be missed during a routine inspection if it is in a hard-to-see area. Again, x-rays of the teeth can show up problems and enable early treatment.
New teeth
X-rays of children's teeth can show where the adult teeth are and when they are likely to appear. And they can show the position of wisdom teeth in adults.
Jaw health
Tooth decay is usually detected with a detailed picture called an intraoral x-ray. However, you dentist may also use an extraoral x-ray. This is less detailed but shows the bigger picture of how your teeth relate to your jaw. This kind of information can help in identifying impacted teeth and also in monitoring the health of the jaw in relation to the teeth.
Crowns and fillings
X-rays can be used after treatments such as having a crown fitted over an existing tooth to check that the new artificial tooth fits over the old one properly. They can also be used to check that teeth have been filled properly and that existing fillings are not likely to come out.
Roots
X-rays can also be used to detect problems with the tooth roots. Dentists can see a dark spot on the tooth's root (which of course is not visible by inspecting the mouth in the normal way) which indicates that there is a problem with the tooth's root, which may require surgery.
So the next time your dentist decides to take an x-ray of your teeth, don't panic. This is just more weapon in your armoury against tooth decay, and it will help you achieve lifelong dental health.
