How Digital X-Rays Can Promote a More Relaxing Dental Experience for Kids

Dental X-rays are one of the most invaluable tools available to diagnose oral health problems and monitor a child’s development to ensure they’re meeting their milestones.

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) generally recommends dental X-rays about once a year, but your child may need them more or less frequently depending on their oral health and circumstances.

Unfortunately, traditional X-rays can be uncomfortable. However, this isn’t the case with digital X-rays, which are simple and convenient. At Oasis Pediatric Dental Care & Orthodontics in Falls Church, Virginia, we offer digital X-rays with our pediatric dentistry and orthodontic services.

How do digital dental X-rays work?

Traditional dental X-rays use film to capture an image of your child’s teeth and gums. While traditional X-rays have been a highly effective tool in diagnosing oral health problems, the process can be uncomfortable and difficult for younger children, especially if they struggle to sit still for longer periods of time.

Digital X-rays provide the same high quality image of your child’s teeth and gums, but they use a sensor to create a digital image and project it directly onto the computer screen. Digital X-rays make the process much easier for children and offer a number of advantages, such as the following:

Better image resolution and quality
Shorter appointments
Less radiation
Instant results
Digital files are easier to preserve and share
More cost effective than traditional X-rays

If your child is anxious about going to the dentist or has dental phobias, getting them to the dentist for even a routine checkup and cleaning can be difficult. Unfortunately, skipping routine dental exams increases the risk for developing cavities and other oral health problems in the future.

Digital X-rays don’t require covering with a heavy lead bib or biting down on stiff cardboard in order to capture a usable image, which makes for a much more relaxing and pleasant experience for kids.

Do digital X-rays work as well as traditional X-rays?

Yes! In fact, digital X-rays provide a clearer picture and can be enlarged on a computer screen to find issues that can go unnoticed in a conventional X-ray. In addition to cavities and tooth decay, digital X-rays can identify bite problems, show any issues with the jaw bone, palette, and soft tissues, and help determine whether your child needs braces.

Our dentists recommend scheduling a dental exam every six months to monitor your child’s development and to catch any oral health issues as quickly as possible. If your child has a higher-than-average risk for tooth decay or orthodontic problems, our team may recommend more frequent appointments and monitoring.

For more information about digital dental X-rays and the pediatric dentistry services available at Oasis Pediatric Dental Care & Orthodontics, call 703-483-9933 or book an appointment online.