X-Rays

Why We Use Dental X-Rays

Dental X-rays are an essential part of your comprehensive oral examination. They allow us to see what's happening beneath the surface—inside your teeth, below the gumline, and in your jawbone. These diagnostic images use very low levels of radiation, making them safe for children, adults, and even pregnant patients when necessary.

We typically take X-rays once a year for most patients. If we're monitoring a specific dental problem or tracking treatment progress, we may recommend them more frequently. For new patients, X-rays give us a complete picture of your dental health from day one.

Children sometimes need X-rays more often than adults because we need to monitor how their adult teeth are developing and ensure they're growing in properly.

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What X-Rays Help Us Find

X-rays allow us to:

• Find cavities between teeth and beneath existing fillings
• Look at tooth roots and the surrounding bone
• Check for gum disease and bone loss
• See the status of developing teeth in children
• Identify impacted teeth, including wisdom teeth
• Monitor overall tooth and jaw health

Without X-rays, many dental problems would go undetected until they cause pain or visible damage.

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Common Types of Dental X-Rays

We use several types of X-rays, each capturing different views of your mouth. Most are intraoral X-rays, taken inside the mouth:

Bite-Wing X-Rays

These show how your upper and lower teeth touch one another and help us spot decay between teeth where cavities often hide.

Periapical X-Rays

These capture the whole tooth—from crown to root tip—and the bone that supports it. They help us find problems below the gumline or in the jaw.

Occlusal X-Rays

These show the roof or floor of the mouth and are especially useful for children, helping us locate teeth that haven't yet broken through the gums.

Panoramic X-Rays

These capture your entire mouth area in one image. We use them to check wisdom teeth, plan for dental implants, or investigate jaw problems.

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What to Expect

X-rays are performed right here in our Vineland office by our dentist or dental assistant. The process is completely pain-free. We'll position a small sensor or film in your mouth, ask you to bite down gently or hold still, and take the image in just seconds. We'll repeat the process until we have all the views we need.

The images appear almost instantly, allowing us to review them with you during your visit and discuss any findings.