No parent loves the idea of their child getting an X-ray. The word itself sounds kind of scary, doesn’t it? Radiation. Machines. Lead aprons. It’s totally normal to feel a little nervous about it.
But dental X-rays aren’t what they used to be. Not even close. And at Mt. Airy Children’s Dental Associates, we take your child’s safety just as seriously as you do.
So let’s talk about what digital X-rays actually are, why we take them, and why you can feel good about your child getting one.
Why Do Kids Even Need X-Rays?
There’s a lot going on underneath those shiny little baby teeth. When we look in your child’s mouth, we can only see about half the story. We see the tops of the teeth. We see the gums. But we can’t see what’s happening below the surface.
X-rays let us see:
- The roots of the teeth: This matters because baby teeth have roots that hold them in place until the permanent teeth are ready to come in.
- The permanent teeth waiting underneath: Those adult teeth are hanging out in your child’s jawbone, waiting for their turn. X-rays show us if they’re coming in the right direction.
- Cavities between teeth: Some cavities hide in places we just can’t see with our eyes. X-rays catch them early, when they’re small and easy to fix.
- The health of the jawbone: We want to make sure everything looks healthy and normal.
Without X-rays, we’d be guessing. And you don’t want us guessing about your child’s smile.
What’s Different About Digital X-Rays?
If you remember getting X-rays as a kid, you probably remember those bulky film packets and the long wait for the images to develop. That’s the old way. Digital X-rays are completely different. We use a small electronic sensor that goes in your child’s mouth. It’s connected to a computer. The image shows up on the screen in seconds, literally. No waiting. No chemicals. And no film.
And digital X-rays use about 80 percent less radiation than traditional X-rays. Eighty percent. That’s not a small number. It’s a huge difference.
To put it in perspective, a set of digital dental X-rays exposes your child to about the same amount of radiation they’d get from a short airplane flight or a sunny day outside. It’s that low.
What About the Lead Apron?
You’ve probably seen those heavy lead aprons at the dentist’s office. We still use them for extra peace of mind. But the truth is, with digital X-rays, the radiation is so low that many experts say they’re not even necessary anymore.
Still, we put that apron on your child every single time. Why? Because it makes parents feel better. And we want you to feel confident that we’re doing everything we can to keep your child safe.
How Often Do Kids Really Need X-Rays?
This is a great question, and the answer is: it depends.
We don’t take X-rays at every visit. Far from it. We follow guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Dental Association.
For most kids, we recommend X-rays about once a year. But that changes based on your child’s age, their risk for cavities, and whether we’re tracking the progress of incoming permanent teeth.
Some kids need them more often. Some need them less. We make that decision on a case-by-case basis, and we always talk with you about it first.
Protect Your Kid’s Smile
Digital X-rays are safe. They’re incredibly low in radiation. And they help us catch problems early, when they’re easier, and cheaper, to fix. A tiny cavity that we see on an X-ray might take five minutes to treat. That same cavity, if we don’t catch it until your child is in pain, could mean a much bigger procedure or even losing a tooth.
We’re not taking X-rays because we have to. We’re taking them because they help us give your child the best care possible.
Have questions about X-rays or anything else? We’re here to answer them. Give us a call at (301) 781-5337 or request an appointment online. We’ll walk you through everything and make sure you feel good about your child’s care.