Digital X-Rays
Radiation from digital X-rays can be as little as 10 percent of what patients would be exposed to with film-based radiography.
Digital X-Ray utilizes computer technology and digital sensors for the acquisition, viewing, storage, and sharing of radiographic images. It offers several advantages over the older traditional film based methods of taking x-rays. The most significant of these advantages is that digital x-ray reduce a patient’s exposure to radiation. Other benefits include the ability to view images instantly after they are taken, as well as simultaneously as needed by multiple practioners. Digital x-rays are also safer for the environment as they do not require any chemicals or paper to develop.
An electronic pad, known as a sensor is used instead of film to acquire a digital image. After the image is taken, it goes directly into the patient’s file on the computer. Once it is stored on the computer, it can be easily viewed on a screen, shared, or printed out.
Panorex X-Rays
In addition to taking small, individual diagnostic images of specific teeth or sections of teeth as needed, we also take a single digital x-ray to obtain a two-dimensional view of the all the teeth, the upper and lower jawbones, the nasal sinuses and the temporomandibular joints (the TMJ). This extra-oral image is known as a Panorex X-ray.
As a simple, comfortable, and fast diagnostic procedure, it produces digital images with minimal x-ray exposure to the patient. Because this picture is taken from outside of the mouth, the only requirement for the patient is to hold still while resting the jaw on a platform in the center of the unit, while the x-ray tube rotates in a semicircle around the head.
A panorex x-ray can be viewed on the computer by the dentist and patient as well as shared with others as needed. A highly valuable diagnostic tool, panorex x-rays are useful in checking for conditions such as periodontal disease, growths in the jaw, the dental development of the unerupted and erupted teeth, impacted teeth, TMJ disorders and sinusitis.
