The short answer is “yes,” but not every visit. Dental X-rays play an important role in diagnosing conditions that cannot be seen during a visual exam alone. They allow us to evaluate areas between the teeth, below the gumline, and within the bone—often identifying concerns before symptoms are present. At Comprehensive Dentistry of Troy, X-rays are recommended only when clinically necessary and x-ray exposure frequency is tailored to your individual medical history, oral health, and risk factors.
Dental X-rays help us detect:
- Cavities between teeth or under existing restorations
- Bone loss related to periodontal disease
- Infections or abscesses
- Tooth and root development
- Impacted teeth
- Changes that may not yet be visible or painful
When problems are caught early through X-rays, treatment is often more conservative.
For example, a cavity detected early may only require a filling, rather than progressing to a crown, root canal, or extraction if left untreated. Early detection allows us to preserve more natural tooth structure and avoid more extensive treatment whenever possible.
We follow the American Dental Association (ADA) x-ray guidelines and use digital dental X-rays, which expose patients to very low levels of radiation. In fact, our modern digital x-rays reduce radiation exposure by 90% compared to older film x-rays. In many cases, the exposure is comparable to or less than what we encounter during normal everyday activities. As a comparison, the amount of dental radiation exposure experienced during a typical x-ray series at the dentist is comparable to sleeping next to someone for a year (due to natural body potassium). Furthermore, a single airplane flight from New York to Los Angeles exposes you to roughly 8 times more radiation than a dental x-ray.
A complete/full mouth series of dental X-rays (which provides a comprehensive view of the teeth, roots, and supporting bone) is typically taken every 3–5 years, depending on your oral health and risk factors.
Most patients receive a routine check-up series of X-rays approximately once per year at one of their cleaning visits. This typically includes four cavity-detecting X-rays of the back teeth and three X-rays of the front teeth (two upper x-rays and one lower x-ray). This series allows us to monitor for cavities, bone changes, and other concerns not visible during a clinical exam.
If you are experiencing discomfort, or if treatment such as a crown, bridge, or root canal is being evaluated or completed, we will take a targeted X-ray of the specific area involved. These focused images help ensure accurate diagnosis and precise treatment.
If you had x-rays taken recently at another office, they can be sent to us with your permission via email to admin@yourtroyohiodentist.com and we will import them into your chart with our office.
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