X-Rays

Digital X-Rays for Your Teeth

The advanced digital x-rays magnify and enhance your teeth for better diagnosis of dental diseases or problems. This digital x-ray allows your dentist to take an image of your teeth and put it into an imaging program.

This is a focused beam of X-Ray particles through bone which produces an image on special film, showing the structure through which it passed. This gives the familiar black and white images that doctors and dentists use to diagnose problems. X-rays are a necessary part of the diagnostic process, and not to use them could lead to undiagnosed disease. Without an X-ray of the whole tooth, and supporting bone and gum tissues, there is no real way to detect infection or pathology that requires attention.

A root canal is then performed to clean out the infected tooth pulp, and disinfect the canals of the tooth. The only other treatment would be to extract the tooth. Once the infection is resolved, the canal(s) are filled in to prevent any further infection. Usually a core build-up and crown is recommended for restoring a tooth that has had root canal therapy.

Digital Radiography
In our office we use digital radiography which allows us to take X-rays using 50-70% less radiation versus conventional X-rays. This digital technique also allows us to enhance the images for better diagnosis of any dental concerns. With this program, Dr. Niewald is able to use a number of tools that will allow a closer look at your teeth and surrounding structures with remarkable accuracy. Your dentist can examine small areas of decay between teeth and under existing fillings. Also, digital x-rays can help detect bone loss due to periodontal disease, dental infections and abscesses.