How Often You Need Dental X-Rays Taken

Dental X-rays are used to see areas between your teeth, beneath the gum line or in the bony area surrounding the tooth. Our West Hollywood dentist often uses them for diagnostic purposes or to create treatment plans. How often you need to have dental X-rays taken depends on your needs and treatment goals. Based on an individual’s decay risk, children typically get X-rays every 6 to 24 months, teens may get dental X-rays every 6 to 36 months and adults will usually get X-rays every 12 to 36 months.

X-rays can:

•    Reveal decay between teeth
•    Show decay under existing fillings
•    Identify bone loss or changes in bone density
•    Diagnose abscesses or infections
•    Reveal cysts, tumors or other abnormalities
•    Monitor growth and development of the teeth or jaws

At your initial visit, a baseline dental X-ray may be taken. This X-ray will show us any areas of concern and allow us to identify changes as they occur in later X-rays. X-rays will also typically be taken before certain treatments, such as dental extractions, root canals and dental implant placement so that we can plan your treatment for maximum safety and effectiveness.

Call our office today to learn more about dental X-rays or to schedule an appointment with our expert in dental X-rays in West Hollywood.