Examinations...

 

Regular dental check-ups are essential in maintaining good dental health, especially if something’s not right with your teeth or gums.

 

With us, you’ll be able to talk through any dental issues and we’ll thoroughly examine your mouth, teeth, gums and surrounding tissues, carrying out the necessary special investigations. This will help us establish a diagnosis, discuss our findings with you and present a number of treatment options – weighing up the pros, cons and costs.

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During the check-up, we take your general health into consideration too.

Changes in your mouth can sometimes indicate conditions you aren’t aware of.

 

We use state-of-the-art technology such as an intra-oral cameras, digital X-rays and Cone Beam CT scans (where indicated) to take images of your mouth and teeth.

You can watch these on a screen while your dentist explains what’s happening.

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A lot of people assume a visit to the dentist is simply checking your teeth, but we look deeper than that; we check your teeth, the soft tissue in and around your mouth, and your head and neck for any abnormalities.
 

Most people have dental check-ups every 6-12 months, which allows the dentist to keep an eye on what’s going on in your mouth and catch anything suspicious in good time.

 

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X-rays...

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Dental x-rays give valuable information about your teeth and the structures around them. This helps the dentist to make the right diagnosis and give you the right treatment.

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An x-ray is a form of electromagnetic radiation that’s produced when charged particles lose energy. These particles are generated by an x-ray machine and directed through the tissues. They’re recorded onto a film which is developed or onto a sensor, which produces an instant digital image. There are three main types of x-ray that are commonly taken in our practice, which are The Bitewing Radiograph, The Periapical Radiograph, The Panoramic Radiograph (or OPG). 

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In our practice we’ve invested in the latest digital x-ray technology, which has significant benefits over conventional film radiographs. These benefits include:

• Reduced radiation dose of up to 90%, compared to conventional film radiographs

• No chemicals required for processing, which is kinder to the environment

• The image is produced virtually instantly on a computer screen

• The image can be manipulated to improve viewing and diagnosis

• The original image can be saved onto the computer along with your records

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What are the risks of having an X-Ray?

Virtually everything we do in our daily lives carries some risk; from walking down the stairs to driving the car into work. Although no radiation source is ever 100% safe and even conventional film-based x-rays use only small amounts of radiation, the digital equipment used in our practice uses the latest technology to reduce the amount of radiation even further.

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To help you understand the levels of radiation involved and the risk, the examples below compare how much background radiation is equivalent to the following x-rays:

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• 2 Standard Bitewing x-rays – 8 hours or a return flight from Spain

• 1 Panoramic x-ray – 28 hours

• 1 Chest x-ray – 160.8 hours

*Source – British Dental Association

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Should I have an X-Ray if I’m pregnant?

Although the radiation from a dental x-ray is relatively small, the developing baby in the womb may be more sensitive to radiation and therefore may be at higher risk. If you know or think you may be pregnant then please inform the dentist on your visit. If an x-ray is required the x-ray can be postponed until after the baby is born or if it is urgently required to make a diagnosis, special precautions can be taken to minimise the risk.

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Any other questions?

If you have any other questions or concerns over dental x-rays the dentists at the practice will be happy to answer these on your next visit to the practice.