Your children’s teeth grow and change at a rapid rate. X-rays allow dentists to monitor the changes in your child’s mouth before they are visible on the surface. However, some parents feel that x-rays are not necessary and others worry that the radiation exposure is risky for children. Keep reading to learn why we recommend x-rays to our young patients.

Reasons For X-Rays

There are many reasons why a child would need a dental x-ray. For some patients, an x-ray might be recommended to find cavities or evaluate potential injuries to the mouth. For other patients, an x-ray might be used to evaluate the growth of teeth to determine if your child needs orthodontic work or oral surgery like a tooth extraction. X-rays are also helpful for children because they allow dentists to visualize how future permanent teeth will grow.

Different Types Available

There are a few different types of x-rays available. Panoramic x-rays allow dentists to see the entire mouth, while other x-rays will examine a just a few teeth or perhaps an arch of teeth. Your dentist will not perform more x-rays than necessary.

Should I Worry About Radiation?

While x-rays do expose patients to a small amount of radiation, the amount is so minuscule that patients do not need to worry. Medical professionals use tools like lead vests to protect a patient’s body from radiation and modern technology allows radiation to be focused on a small, specific area. You can rest assured that your child is safe after getting their dental x-rays.