The Broad Scope of Digital X-Rays

Digital technology has spread to the dentist’s office. Some dentists have forgone film and use digital X-rays that come with a number of advantages.¹

Instead of biting down on a piece of film, the new technology uses a small electronic sensor on your tooth.² A computer takes the picture and stores the data.³ There is no film or darkroom with digital X-rays, so the feedback is instant.^{1, 2}

Both traditional and digital X-rays can take pictures of your teeth and jaws.³ This can help your dentist diagnose gum disease, impacted teeth, cavities, and tumors.²

Digital X-rays can yield a more accurate diagnosis because dentists can manipulate the photo.⁴ The dentist can zoom in on an image to get a better view and see details more easily.⁴ Or the dentist can adjust the brightness and contrast of a photo to make certain structures, such as cavities, easier to see.⁴ X-rays are taken in a high resolution to allow these techniques.⁴

There’s also less exposure to radiation.⁵ Of course, radiation exposure from dental X-rays was always safe.⁵ But depending on how many X-rays are taken, you may experience half the radiation of a traditional X-ray with digital imaging.⁴

With digital radiography, the images can be stored on a computer at your dentist's office and copies can be kept off-site as backups.⁶ Not only are your X-rays better protected and always available for future review, they can be sent electronically to specialists.⁶

¹ “Dental Digital Radiography.” M.L. Kantor. Journal of the American Dental Association. October 2005, vol. 136, no. 10, pp. 1358–60. jada.ada.org  Accessed 2010.

² “Why Do I Need X-rays?”  Academy of General Dentistry, October 2008. www.agd.org/support/articles/?ArtID=1373. Accessed 2010.

³ “Dental X-rays.” U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, February 22, 2010. www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003801.htm. Accessed 2010.

⁴ “Better Imaging: The Advantages of Digital Radiography.” P.F. van der Stelt. Journal of the American Dental Association. June 2008, vol. 139, supplement 3, pp. 7S–13S. jada.ada.org. Accessed 2010.

⁵ “X-Ray Use and Safety.” American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. www.aapd.org/publications/brochures/xray.asp. Accessed 2010.

⁶ “Practice Guidelines for Digital Radiography.” American Academy of Radiologists. Digital Radiography. October 1, 2007. www.acr.org/SecondaryMainMenuCategories/quality_safety/guidelines/dx/digital_radiography.aspx. Accessed 2010.