Dental X-Rays

Dental X-rays are an important part of the dental exam, used to diagnose problems with the teeth, gums and jaw. X-rays use electromagnetic radiation to produce these images -- they form wavelengths that penetrate the soft tissue of the body and are absorbed by denser materials, creating pictures of your bones or teeth. And since your dentist doesn't have X-ray vision, they're necessary to distinguish dental problems not visible to the naked eye.

Tooth decay, periodontal disease, impacted teeth, bite problems and even tumors are just a few of the dental conditions easily found with dental X-rays.

Bitewings are a type of dental X-rays used to check the back teeth. As they show the crown of the tooth, bitewing X-rays are extremely helpful in determining tooth decay located in between teeth, various stages of gum disease and problems with tooth alignment. Bitewings are also excellent for detecting a buildup of dental tartar, and are sometimes used to measure bone loss due to advanced periodontal disease.