This exam may include taking an X-ray of your child’s teeth. Dental X-rays help your dentist provide a thorough examination of teeth and bones, but are they safe? Dental X-rays are generally safe for kids—provided the right dosage is used.
Is dental x-ray safe for kids?
Bitewing X-rays are extremely safe, exposing a youngster to less radiation than they would get daily from natural background sources in the environment. Panoramic radiography enables your child’s dentist to get an overall picture of the entire mouth in a single image.
At what age do kids need dental x-rays?
When should my child have dental X-rays taken? We recommend taking X-rays around the age of two or three. The first set consists of simple pictures of the front upper and lower teeth, which familiarizes your child with the process.
How many dental x-rays are too many for a child?
Based on the number of teeth your child has, safe use for children’s X-rays consist of two or four bitewing radiographs no more than every six months.
Should 5 year old get dental X-ray?
For a child 1 to 5 years old with no permanent teeth, the first visit might include bitewing x-rays of the back teeth, unless gaps allow the dentist to see the sides of the teeth. The dentist might also take periapical x-rays, especially of the front teeth.
Are dental xrays safe for 4 year olds?
Safety First
Although dental x-rays are safe, extra care is taken with radiographs for children. … X-rays are not given as a routine, but only when necessary. Patients are protected with a thyroid shield and an apron to minimize exposure. Exposure parameters are set as slow as possible.
Do kids need x-rays?
X-rays are usually taken when they can yield information that a visual exam cannot. The frequency of getting X-rays often depends on a child’s individual needs. But in general, children need more X-rays than adults since their teeth and jaws are still developing, and their teeth are smaller.
Are dental x-rays safe?
Dental x-rays are considered extremely safe. The main concern behind the safety of dental x-rays is the exposure to radiation. We are happy to let you that when performed properly, these procedures give off very light levels of radiation.
Why do kids need dental x-rays?
Dental x-rays for kids allow dentists to: See how many teeth are still inside the gums, what position they are in, and how large they are. Determine the absence of teeth or presence of extra teeth before they erupt. Diagnose cavities, cracks, or other problems in the teeth that can only be seen through an x-ray.
Do dental X-rays have a lot of radiation?
On average, your body is exposed to 3.1 millisieverts (mSv) of natural radiation alone per year. At . 005 mSv, the radiation you receive from the aforementioned dental x-ray is less than 1.6% of your daily background radiation exposure. You are exposed to the same level of radiation just from sunlight each day.
How much radiation is in an x-ray?
A single chest x-ray exposes the patient to about 0.1 mSv. This is about the same amount of radiation people are exposed to naturally over the course of about 10 days.