There are certain things you expect when you visit your dentist in Austin — to get a cleaning, a thorough exam, perhaps a filling or two, and occasionally some x-rays. But are dental x-rays actually necessary? After all, if nothing looks wrong or feels wrong, do you really need to get them? The short answer is yes, and for several reasons.
What Are Dental X-Rays?
Just like an x-ray of your arm or leg, dental x-rays take images that show the hard surfaces in your mouth. The energy of x-rays passes through the skin and highlights only dense areas such as teeth and bone. The skeletal-like images produced from x-rays give your dentist in Austin an inside look at your oral health and can help identify problems that can’t be seen through a visual or manual dental exam alone.
What Do Dental X-Rays Show?
We already know that dental x-rays show the teeth and bone, but what does your dentist look for on x-rays? The truth is, x-ray images can identify several things that could otherwise be missed and progress into more serious problems.
- Decay
- Abscess
- Bone Loss