Patient safety and comfort are top priorities at Newtown Dentistry. We are known throughout Bucks County for ensuring the protection of our patients and offering ultimate convenience—all in a relaxing, friendly atmosphere. Part of making your dental experience a trustworthy and efficient process is offering the most advanced dental care technologies and services, including low-radiation X-rays and 3D imaging—tools that significantly reduce your exposure to dental X-ray radiation.
Digital X-rays and 3D imaging are safe and effective advanced tools we utilize to detect disease, damage, and the development of the teeth and gums in both our adult and kids’ practices. In fact, our office is entirely digital, which means you and your family benefit from a faster, safer solution. Digital X-rays reduce radiation upward of 90% and are faster than more traditional forms of dental imaging procedures.
Why Are X-Rays Important in Dentistry?
A dental radiograph is a type of X-ray that captures images of the teeth and bones (hard tissues), in addition to the soft tissues of your mouth and jawbone. It’s especially important for new patients to receive X-rays. This provides a foundation for which to compare your oral health and risk for dental problems as you continue along your dental journey with us.
Advantages of Low-Radiation Digital X-Rays
At Newtown Dentistry, we focus on prevention as much as we do treatment. Low-radiation digital X-rays are key components of our overall preventive plans. The main benefits of low-radiation X-rays include:
Less radiation: One of the biggest advantages of digital X-rays is that our patients are exposed to very low amounts of radiation. Digital X-rays produce upward of 90% less dental X-ray radiation than traditional film X-rays.
Faster results: Unlike traditional X-rays, which take a few minutes to produce a clear image, digital X-rays display details of your teeth on your dentist’s screen immediately in real time, leading to more efficient appointment times.
Precise results: Digital X-rays work like a digital camera connected to a computer. The X-rays capture the image and transmit it to our dentist’s screen immediately. The images are clearer, more detailed, and more precise than traditional X-rays.
Better diagnosis: Low-radiation digital X-rays show even the tiniest details. With this more precise information, our dentists are able to make a more highly accurate diagnosis and more targeted treatment—saving you time and eliminating the need for costly future treatments.
Easier access: Since low-radiation X-rays transmit through our computer screens, they are easy to access, share, and store. We can easily provide copies to you and other dental and medical specialists.
Chemical free: Low-radiation X-rays work similarly to a digital camera, making them faster, chemical-free, and safer. No chemicals, no lost films, no waiting time.
Oral health preservation: The precision of digital X-rays enables the early detection of such dental conditions like oral cancer, jaw disorders, gum diseases, and infections. Early detection and treatment prevent these conditions from deteriorating further and can help preserve your overall oral health.
What Can X-Ray Images Detect?
Since X-rays offer a clear view of the hard and soft tissues of the teeth, gums, and jaw, your dentist is able to identify:
Growth anomalies
Dental caries (cavities)
Tooth decay (including in between teeth and under dental implants and other restorations)
Periodontal (gum) disease
Injuries to the mouth
Certain types of tumors
Other developmental issues and diseases
Increasing Patient Safety with Lower Dental X-Ray Radiation
According to the American Dental Association (ADA), only a small amount of radiation is utilized during dental X-rays. The average X-ray session—two to four images of the back teeth—exposes a patient to approximately 0.005 millisieverts (mSv) of radiation. In comparison, people who live in the U.S. are naturally exposed to 3.2 mSv from “background sources of radiation.”
Furthermore, as our commitment to safety, we follow the ALARA protocol, which stands for “As Low As Reasonably Achievable,” when conducting X-rays. To achieve this goal, we ensure that our patients wear protective leaded aprons and that dental X-ray radiation exposure is as minimal as possible.
X-Rays for Kids: Parent FAQs
Parents are particularly concerned about the level of dental X-ray radiation exposure their kids receive. We understand that. In fact, parent education is key to our pediatric practice. We take the time to meet with you at each appointment to answer any questions you may have about your child’s particular needs and treatments. Toward that end, here are some common questions parents ask us about kids’ X-rays:
Are dental X-rays necessary?
Periodic X-rays allow us to have a baseline of your child’s oral health and track the growth and development as they grow. Low-radiation X-rays are vital in tracking jaw and tooth development and enable the early detection of cysts, impacted teeth, and orthodontic issues.
Who performs a dental X-ray?
Our pediatric team includes technicians and dentists extensively trained and certified in using low-radiation X-ray machines and the images they produce.
Are dental X-rays safe for kids?
Our digital X-rays and 3-D imaging tools reduce radiation upward of 90% and are faster than more traditional forms of dental imaging. Also, precautionary measures like a lead apron further minimize dental X-ray radiation exposure to your child.
How often does my child need a dental X-ray?
If your child has no apparent dental problems and we are tracking development, one set of X-rays each year is sufficient. However, if your child experiences ongoing dental issues, we may need X-rays once every couple of months. We develop a plan that meets the individual needs of your child.
Prior to receiving X-rays, our experienced dental team will go over every aspect of the process. In our effort to ensure you have the best and highest quality dental care, we welcome your questions about low-radiation X-rays or any of our additional services and dental treatments. Schedule an appointment now. Or, call us anytime with questions at (215) 273-9708.
