Why do dentists always want to take x-rays?

So this is one of those questions we get asked all the time. And we know that this is a big bugbear of a lot of people. So in this post, I’d like to explain a little a bit about the role of x-rays in providing quality dental treatment, in the hope that you might understand our perspective better.

Firstly, what is the role of x-rays in dentistry?

1. They help us to see parts of the teeth and bone that are not visible to the naked eye. For example, we can’t see a tooth’s roots without an x-ray. So x-rays are usually a necessity if we want to be properly prepared to remove a tooth. Without knowing what the root anatomy is like, what we thought may be an easy, quick procedure, could turn into 2 hours of discomfort in the dental chair for you! Not a good situation for the patient or dentist!
2. X-rays can show bone any abnormal growths, cysts or cancerous lesions in the jaw bones.
3. X-rays can help to detect areas of decay in between the teeth which again, may not be able to be detected by a visual examination. So many times, I have checked a patients’ teeth, which appeared to be fine. Only to find that when x-rays are taken, there are multiple areas of decay in between the teeth that just could not be seen.

Now, here’s some of the reasons patients have told me that dentists take x-rays:

1. So they can buy a new Ferrari. If only this was true. That wasn’t me driving that red Ferrari yesterday.
2. For fun.
3. Because their new x-ray machine is expensive.

So, why do I recommend x-rays for my patients on a routine basis?

1. It’s my duty of care to find and inform you of any (and hopefully, all) of the conditions affecting your jaws, gums, soft tissues (insides of your mouth) and teeth. If I didn’t take x-rays, it would be like me having one eye closed when examining you, and I’d only be able to tell you half the story.
2. No one wants to be wrong. I would hate it if I told you that your teeth were fine, only to have you come back in a years’ time with a nasty hole in your tooth that was causing you pain. You would probably blame me (and rightly so!) for not detecting and fixing the decay earlier!
3. Under law, it would be negligence not to recommend x-rays routinely.

You may have noticed I always use the word ‘recommend’. This is because at the end of the day, it is always the patients’ choice whether they consent to having x-rays taken. Our job is not to force a patient into doing treatment they are not comfortable with. I can recommend to a patient that their x-rays be updated on a regular basis, but I cannot make them have the x-rays taken if they do not want to. Some patients will still refuse, despite being informed that there may be problems with their teeth, gums or bone which I would not be able to diagnose without the aid of an x-ray. 

DISCLAIMER: 

Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.

Author: Lydia