Why You Need Those Yearly Dental X-Rays

If you don't have dental insurance, or you have limited dental insurance, you probably question every decision the dentist makes during your treatments. One thing that you might think you can go without is the dental x-rays. Here's why you need those dental x-rays each year.

Dental Work Damage

The fillings that you've gotten over the years can sometimes become compromised. If the tooth wasn't prepared for the filling properly, decay can form around and under the filling. The x-rays will help your dentist identify any problems around and under the filling before it becomes a big problem. Failure to find and fix these issues could result in an abscessed tooth or other serious infection if the cavity is allowed to grow larger.

Identifying Cavities

Many cavities can be seen by the naked eye during a dental cleaning, but some cannot be seen without the help of an x-ray. Cavities tend to become an issue between the teeth – the spaces where you may struggle to keep clean. The x-ray will show the dentist even the smallest cavity hiding between the teeth. When cavities are found early on, the repairs are much easier to complete.

Detecting Wisdom Teeth

The growth pattern of wisdom teeth is also monitored using the yearly x-rays. Some people suffer a great deal when their wisdom teeth grow in improperly. Monitoring the growth of the wisdom teeth will help your dentist catch weird growth patterns that could cause you pain or other complications early allowing treatment plans to be developed to prevent the issue from becoming a problem.

Misalignment

Teeth can shift from one year to the next. This could be due to new teeth growing in, from teeth shifting after others are extracted, or just from normal growth. These x-rays will help your dentist see the alignment issues and begin creating a plan to keep your teeth from shifting to an abnormal, less attractive positioning.

Oral Disease Diagnosis

There are many oral diseases that your dentist hopes to never diagnose. The x-rays will help your dentist keep a close eye on your mouth so that he or she can catch any signs of oral diseases as soon as possible. Things like abscesses, tumors, and cysts could all be signs of a more serious underlying issue. Early detection will help treat the problem before it becomes more serious.

Talk with your dentist anytime you have questions about what or why they are completing a test, requesting an x-ray, or suggesting treatment. They will be happy to sit down and explain the treatment plan until you fully understand why it's so important to get it taken care of.

For more information, contact a company like Tijeras Dental Service.