The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends x-rays and exams every six months for children who are at high risk of tooth decay, with most dentists requesting x-rays once a year on average. Radiographs are an essential component of your child’s dental diagnostic process. Certain dental diseases can and will be ignored if they are not detected with the naked eye.
X-rays are an essential aspect of any dental treatment, including pediatric dentistry. They alert us when anything is amiss and assist us in tracking your child’s growth as he or she develops. However, not every child needs an X-ray at every check-up. Because X-rays emit low quantities of radiation, we should be cautious about when and why we use them on our kids.
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Why Do Children Require Dental X-Rays?
Children’s mouths are growing and changing, and their dentists must keep up. Children are also more likely than adults to develop tooth decay, therefore pediatric dentists must be extremely careful. Cavity detection is critical, so if your kid has a history of decay in their baby teeth or other risk factors, your dentist may need to perform X-rays more frequently. However, imaging may be less frequent in youngsters with good teeth and little risk. It’s not just about cavities either. According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, X-rays of baby teeth can also assist dentists in checking for erupting teeth, inspecting the mouth after an accident, and determining the need for orthodontic therapy.
How Frequently Should My Child Have X-Rays?
With a new understanding of the hazards and advantages of X-rays, we’ve discovered that the ideal strategy is to make imaging decisions for each kid individually. When deciding if an X-ray is necessary, we assess each child’s requirements, history, and other considerations. Images may be taken every six months for high-risk preschoolers, but every year or two for a healthy, low-risk four-year-old. We can generally establish a solid assessment with only a conventional oral exam at that age. Once permanent teeth appear, it becomes more difficult to evaluate without imaging, therefore we’ll most likely reduce to once a year or more frequently as needed. There is a lot of growth in the primary and adolescent years, and we must evaluate alignment, spacing, and prospective orthodontic concerns when considering whether imaging is necessary.
Are Dental X-rays Harmful to Children?
X-rays produce images of your child’s teeth and bones using minimal quantities of radiation. These amounts are deemed safe, especially when safeguards are taken: two dental bitewing X-rays constitute roughly the same degree of radiation exposure as a four-hour airplane ride, according to the American Dental Association. However, because of some of the possible risks linked with more frequent exposure to radiation and more intensive imaging techniques, medical and dental organizations are advising doctors and dentists to use X-rays sparingly and only when absolutely necessary.
How Does My Pediatric Dentist Aid in the Safety of X-Rays?
One of the most crucial components of keeping X-rays safe is what the American Dental Association refers to as “imaging softly.” This entails making deliberate and careful decisions about when and how we employ imaging tools like X-rays. We can frequently tell a lot just by looking into your child’s mouth, but for the things we can’t see, we need X-rays. Your child’s medical and dental history will be reviewed, and a hands-on exam will be performed. Then we’ll decide if imaging is necessary. Other safeguards we apply to keep X-rays safe include:
- Body aprons and collars are used to shield sensitive regions from radiation.
- Reduce children’s exposure time
- Modern imaging equipment that enables faster imaging
One of the benefits of taking your child to a pediatric dentist is that everything, including X-ray equipment, is built with children and their safety in mind.
Make an appointment with your child’s pediatric dentist very away.
If you have any questions concerning X-rays for children, please contact your pediatric dentist’s office right away. The skilled expert would be pleased to go over the X-ray process with you so that you can prepare your child for the forthcoming pediatric dental appointment. Call or visit your pediatric dentist.
