X Rays

X Rays are very useful to see what the human eye cannot see. They can peer inside dental structures such as teeth, bones, and gum tissue, and allow for a thorough examination, allowing Dr. Bartlett to diagnose and detect the early stages of tooth related problems, and get a fuller picture of the patients health.  Without X Rays, many problems could go undetected for a long time.  As always, early detection is critical to address problems that could become worse in the future.

X Rays are generally considered safe. The patient is exposed to the machine for a very short amount of time, only as long as it takes to get the film needed to make a correct read.  On X Ray film different surfaces have different colors, and the presence of infection or other problems have a very specific footprint that Dr. Bartlett can spot upon examining the results.

There are different kinds of X Rays, that Dr. Bartlett may use to help diagnose and rule out certain problems. Some of the most common ones:

Bite Wing – These X Rays are useful for showing the details of the upper and lower teeth in a specific area of the mouth.  A Bite wing can show the tooth from the crown to the level of the bone structure supporting the tooth.

Periapical –  Are useful for showing the tooth from the crown to the bottom of the root at the point it is anchored to the jawbone.  These can detect irregularities in the root structures and surrounding areas

Occlusal – Larger and show the entire arch of the teeth in both the upper and lower jaw.  More area is displayed and they can display the entire tooth and it’s placement.

Panoramic – Show the entire mouth, the entire array of teeth on both the upper and lower jaws are made visible.  This one is especially useful in the detection of oral cancer.

Dr. Bartlett uses these, and other specialized X Rays to get a fuller overall picture of a patients health, and it is an important part of the check up examination.  If you’d like to learn more about X Rays, or would like to schedule a checkup, give Dr. Bartlett’s office a call.