All dental care, especially pediatric dentistry, should include X-rays. They assist us in monitoring our child’s growth and development by alerting us when something is amiss.
However, not all children require an X-ray at every checkup. We are cautious when using X-rays for your child because they emit minimal radiation levels. The dentist should reserve the use of child dental X-rays near you for when they are necessary rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all strategy.
Why Do Kids Need Dental X-Rays?
The dentist needs to stay current because children’s mouths are always developing. Children are also more likely than adults to develop tooth decay; therefore, pediatric dentists must exercise extra caution.
Early cavity detection is crucial; therefore, your dentist may need to take X-rays more frequently if a child has a history of baby tooth decay or other risk factors. However, imaging may be less frequently performed on kids with healthy teeth and minimal risk. Additionally, it goes beyond cavities. The child’s dental x-rays in Noblesville can also assist dentists in evaluating the need for orthodontic treatment, checking the mouth after an injury, and looking for newly erupted teeth.
What Sort of Dental X-Rays Should You Get for Your Child?
Your dentist discovered that the optimal strategy is to decide whether to use imaging on a child-by-child basis in light of fresh facts on the hazards and advantages of X-rays. Experts who specialize in pediatric dentistry near you consider each child’s needs, medical history, and other aspects when deciding what type of X-rays is needed.
The dentist might perform scans every six months for healthy, low-risk preschoolers, but for a 4-year-old, they might wait a year or two. We can typically establish a reliable assessment with a routine oral examination at that age. It becomes more difficult to evaluate without imaging once permanent teeth erupt, so they will probably go once a year or more frequently as necessary.
To determine whether imaging is necessary, we must consider alignment, spacing, and any prospective orthodontic problems because the primary and adolescent years are periods of rapid development.
Are Dental X-Rays Safe for Kids?
X-rays use low radiation levels to provide images of your child’s teeth and bones. These doses are considered safe, particularly when safety precautions are taken: Two dental bitewing x-rays have the same radiation exposure as a four-hour trip.
However, medical and dental associations advise doctors and dentists to be cautious when utilizing X-rays and make sure they’re only using them when necessary due to potential risks connected to more frequent exposure to radiation and more intensive imaging processes.
How Can Pediatric Dentists Support the Safety of X-Rays?
Applying what the ADA calls “imaging gently” is one of the most crucial parts of keeping X-rays safe. It entails carefully choosing when and how to employ imaging tools like tx-rays. While looking into your child’s mouth can often reveal a lot, x-rays are necessary for the things we cannot see. Your child’s medical and dental history will be reviewed, and our pediatric dentist in Noblesville will perform a physical examination. The requirement for imaging will then be decided. Other safety measures we employ to protect X-rays include:
- Body aprons and collars to shield radiation-sensitive areas
- Less time is spent exposing kids
- Modern tools that enable faster imaging
Everything, including the x-ray equipment, is made with children, and their safety in mind is one benefit of taking your child to a pediatric dentist.
Visit Us For Pediatric Dentistry
Our dentist bases all of our choices about the dental health care of your child on their particular requirements. We take imaging extremely seriously, taking into account a variety of risk factors and each child’s medical and dental histories.
At Bumble Kids Pediatric Dentistry, our office prioritizes your kid’s safety, and we take every x-ray with that in mind, providing the safest method for required imaging thanks to our cutting-edge, child-focused tools and methods. Could you schedule your appointment with us?