Our practice is proud to provide digital x-rays for the diagnosis of various oral health conditions. Instead of a conventional film packet being placed inside the mouth, with digital x-rays, a small sensor is used instead to record the image of the teeth or other oral structures. The image from this sensor is then uploaded onto a computer where the image can then be viewed on a monitor.
Digital x-rays offer 2 main advantages to patients over conventional film x-rays. The first is a health benefit since digital x-rays expose the patient to only a small fraction of the amount of radiation that conventional x-rays do. Digital x-rays use approximately 80% less radiation than do regular non-digital ones. Secondly, since the images from digital x-rays are viewed on computers, they can be manipulated in many ways to improve their diagnostic ability. This includes magnifying the image, increasing or decreasing the contrast and measuring various anatomic features. In this way, the dentist can more accurately diagnose your x-ray images to better determine the most appropriate treatment plan.