Does X-Raying Pose Any Risks For My Child?

Dental X-rays for kids can be critical in discovering problems buried beyond the surface of the teeth enamel and beneath the gum line. However, many parents are concerned about the safety of their children. The good news is that current technology has made dental X-rays safer than ever before.

First, in many pediatric dentistry practices, computerized X-rays have largely supplanted traditional film counterparts. These digital X-rays are safer since they produce approximately 80% less radiation than film X-rays. In reality, the radiation level from a set of digital X-rays is lower than the amount of radiation humans normally experience in a single day.

Important for Detecting Problems

When considering if dental X-rays are essential for a child, an expert dentist will carefully assess the risks and advantages based on the child's specific circumstances. Dental X-rays are never used indiscriminately, especially on minors, because they have the potential - while minor - to cause cancer.

Furthermore, young people are more radiosensitive than adults, and the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which oversees X-ray equipment, acknowledges that children's exposure to X-rays is a source of parental worry. To remedy this, the FDA requires that X-ray machines include particular settings for youngsters that reduce the effects of radiation.

Skilled dentists will never take X-rays on a routine basis; instead, they will adhere to X-ray criteria established by the American Dental Association (ADA) and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. The ADA and AAPD both urge that X-rays be used only after a clinical examination and a review of the patient's medical history, including previous X-ray use and frequency.

X-Rays for Kids

Bitewing radiographs are a common use for dental X-rays in children. Bitewings derive their name from the little tabs or wings attached to the films or sensors that the youngster nibbles on. These X-rays are quite useful for detecting decay between the rear teeth, where cavities are often not visible.

Panoramic radiography allows your child's dentist to obtain a complete picture of the mouth in a single image. These X-rays indicate not only the condition of the teeth, including any teeth that have yet to surface, but also the state of the upper and lower jaws, as well as the surrounding tissues and structures. 

Orthodontic X-rays (cephalometric projections) depict the whole side of your child's head. Because the teeth are visible in the same image as the head and jaw, these images can be extremely useful in arranging orthodontic treatments to address misaligned or crooked teeth.

Cone Beam Computerized Tomography (CBCT) X-rays provide a three-dimensional view of your child's mouth, allowing the dentist to assess tooth spacing and development.

Benefits of Dental X-rays for Children

While X-rays are diagnostic, they also act as a preventative tool, allowing you to identify problems in your child's mouth before they become serious. To begin, an inspection of your child's teeth without an X-ray may not uncover many potential problems with the teeth and surrounding tissue, such as small patches of decay behind fillings, bone infection, abscesses, and tumors.

X-rays are also useful for diagnosing jaw and tooth-root disorders, as well as gum disease, including gingivitis. Furthermore, identifying these issues early on is critical for developing a successful treatment strategy.

Without X-rays, however, abnormalities that are not immediately visible may go untreated, resulting in progressive worsening, and potentially jeopardizing your child's general health. In fact, if left untreated, a gum infection can spread to other areas of the body, including the lungs, heart, and brain.

The bottom line

Discuss the pros and downsides with your child's dentist. Professional radiographers can interpret X-rays in detail, revealing issues that would otherwise go undetected. Furthermore, X-rays serve an important part in the detection of teeth and gum problems, allowing for proper action and treatment (such as tooth extraction) before the situation develops.

Many diagnostic techniques include some risks. However, in most cases, the information offered by a dental X-ray will result in long-term health benefits for your child that much outweigh the procedure's hazards.