Dental x-rays provide valuable information that helps your dentist evaluate your oral health. With the help of x-rays, your dentist can visualize what is happening beneath the surface of your teeth and gums. If you are a new patient, your Coast Dental office will take x-rays to determine the current status of your mouth and compare these x-rays to x-rays taken on future visits to see what changes may have occurred between dental visits. Your oral health and age helps your dentist determine how often x-rays are taken. Teeth appear almost white on the film, while tooth decay, infections and gum disease show up as dark spots that may not be detected by a visual examination. As a result, your dentist is able to treat dental problems in their earliest stages, thereby saving you money and more difficult procedures. The radiation exposure you will have from dental x-rays is minimal. Most people do not realize that they are exposed to radiation every day from various sources, including small home appliances and minerals in the soil. Even though the radiation from dental x-rays is very low, we take every precaution to minimize exposure. Be sure to tell you doctor if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. Many of our practices offer digital imaging services. The advanced imaging technology uses a fraction of the radiation of traditional x-rays and offers a number of benefits to patients and dentists. Images are displayed on a computer screen instantly so patients no longer have to wait. Dentists can enlarge the images and clearly show the patient any areas of concern and discuss treatment options.