X-Rays

Dental x-rays are an important tool that our Marietta dentists use to help detect problems that may not be visible to the naked eye. When x-rays pass through your mouth during a dental exam, more of the x-rays are absorbed by denser materials than by soft tissue before they hit the film. This is why when you look at your dental x-ray, your teeth (denser material) appear lighter than your cheeks and gums (soft tissues). Cavities also appear darker, because they allow more x-ray penetration.

Before our dentists recommend dental x-rays, they will examine your dental records, and perform an initial examination. Each patient’s need for x-ray evaluation is different, and depends on the health needs of that individual.

Factors for determining how often a dental x-ray should be performed include:

• Age
• Risk of disease
• Signs and symptoms

Children, for example, generally need x-rays taken more often than adults, to keep tabs on proper growth and development, and because their teeth are more easily affected by tooth decay than adult teeth.