Time For Your Dental Pictures
by Dr. Stephen J. Parr D.D.S.
Read Time For Your Dental Pictures by Dr. Stephen J. Parr D.D.S. to learn more about Grove Smiles® Dentistry and our Dentistry office in Coconut Grove, FL.
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Just like school and family photos, your teeth should have their close-up photo opportunities to let us help you keep your teeth and smile look their best. If you have ever been to a dentist, then you are familiar with the glamor shot costume of the lead apron and bite plates that you place between your teeth. Then on the count of three, we hear a small beep, and the fabulous close-up shots are taken for your dental team.
To better understand the different types of dental X-rays and what each shot could reveal, let us take a closer look at three of the most common types of dental X-rays.
The Bite in Bitewing X-Rays
As you might have guessed from the name, bitewing X-rays are where you must bite down on a piece of dental film before the image is taken. Because the dental film is inside your mouth, bitewing X-rays are intraoral. Typically, one X-ray will be taken for each of the four quadrants of your mouth.
Bitewing X-rays are taken to give our dental team a clear view of the crevices between your teeth, which are challenging to see with the naked eye. With these images, we can quickly check for tooth decay and cavities in those areas.
Smile For Your Close-Up: Periapical X-Rays
This intraoral X-ray is a close-up of the dental world. If a specific tooth or area in your mouth is bothering you, we’ll probably take a periapical X-ray to understand better what’s going on there. Still, in conjunction with bitewing X-rays, they may, even if you aren’t aware of an apparent tooth problem.
The Whole Picture: Panoramic X-Rays
Has an X-ray technician ever had you stand on a circular platform and stand still for several seconds while a machine spun around your head? If so, you have had the most common type of extraoral dental X-ray – the panoramic X-ray.
With the panoramic X-ray, we can see your entire mouth in one image because the camera travels all the way around your head while taking the picture. This type of X-ray shows incoming adult teeth and wisdom teeth, including any impacted ones. These in-depth views are how we determine if there’s enough room for your adult and wisdom teeth to come in and if they will come in on their own. Panoramic X-rays also make detecting tumors, cysts, and abscesses easier.
Our Early Warning Detectors
All of the X-ray types we use are simple, low-risk tools that help us detect dental problems early on, maybe before you notice anything! However, for us to be able to do that, you must come in for your regular cleanings and dental exams.
Ready For Your Smile’s Next Close-Up?
Here at Grove Smiles Dentistry in Coconut Grove, FL, we are proud to have served thousands of families over the last forty years and continue to look forward to helping you and your families keep your healthy sparkling smiles for life and help improve your health.
If you want to whiten, brighten, and keep your teeth healthy for life, call our fantastic team of dentists and hygienists today and let us help you create that confident smile you will love to continue sharing.
For Your Health,
Dr. Stephen J. Parr D.D.S.
