Can you see a tooth infection on a dental X-ray? Learn about the types of dental X-rays, their benefits, and the common oral health conditions they can detect.

Understanding Dental X-Rays

Dental X-rays, also known as radiographs, are images of the teeth that dentists use to evaluate a patient’s oral health. Patients may require dental X-rays at every appointment or every few years, depending on their oral health, dental history, and overall medical history. These X-rays use a low level of radiation to capture images of the interior teeth and gums, helping dentists gain a comprehensive understanding of their patients’ oral health and the best next steps for treatment.

Types of Dental X-Rays

There are two main types of dental X-rays: intraoral X-rays, which are taken inside the mouth, and extraoral X-rays, which are taken outside the mouth. The most commonly used forms of X-rays within these types include:

• Periapical X-rays: These show the whole tooth, from the crown to beyond the root where the tooth attaches to the jaw, and are useful for detecting unusual changes in the root and surrounding bone structures.
• Bitewing X-rays: These capture the visible area of the upper and lower teeth as well as part of the roots and supporting bone, helping dentists detect decay and irregular developments of the jawbone caused by gum disease.
• Occlusal X-rays: These show the full tooth development and placement, and can also detect evidence of tumors, bone loss, and blockages in the salivary ducts.
• Panoramic X-rays: These show the entire mouth in one picture, and are used to detect bone abnormalities, fractures, cysts, impacted teeth, infections, and tumors, rather than specific details like cavities.

Benefits of Dental Radiographs

Dental X-rays offer several key benefits, including:

1. Making your dentist aware of changes in the hard and soft tissues of the mouth
2. Allowing the dentist to see how the teeth and jawbones are developing
3. Helping your dentist identify diseases and developmental issues before they turn into serious health issues
4. Preventing oral damage from worsening
5. Detecting wisdom teeth development and determining the best route for extraction
6. Identifying bone loss, tooth decay, and infections

What Dental Radiographs Can Detect

Dental X-rays are crucial for detecting and diagnosing a wide range of oral health conditions, including:

• Cavities and tooth decay: The most common dental issue, caused by a breakdown of tooth enamel by acids. If left untreated, cavities can lead to abscesses under the gums that can spread to other parts of the body.
• Periodontal disease: Gum disease resulting from infections and inflammation of the gums and bone that supports the teeth. Symptoms include swollen, red, and tender gums.
• Oral cancer: Dental X-rays can show whether oral cancer has spread to the jaw. Oral cancer often occurs in patients over the age of 40, with risk factors including tobacco use, heavy alcohol use, and HPV.

Can You See an Infection on a Dental X-Ray?

Yes, dental X-rays can often reveal signs of an infection in the teeth or surrounding bone and soft tissues. Some key indicators of an infection that may be visible on an X-ray include:

• Darkening or changes in the bone around the root of a tooth, which can indicate an abscess or other infection
• Widening of the periodontal ligament space, which holds the tooth in place and can become inflamed due to an infection
• Radiolucent (darker) areas in the bone, which may indicate an infection or cyst

If your dentist suspects an infection based on your X-rays, they will likely recommend further testing or treatment to address the underlying issue.

Importance of Dental Radiographs

Oral health conditions are incredibly common, with over 40% of adults reporting mouth pain in the last year and over 80% having had at least one cavity by age 34. These issues can significantly impact quality of life and even lead to other health problems throughout the body, such as heart disease. That’s why using dental radiographs to detect and diagnose these conditions is so important. By working closely with your dentist to stay on top of your oral health through regular X-rays and other preventive measures, you can help ensure the health and wellbeing of your mouth and body.

Conclusion

Dental X-rays are a valuable tool that dentists use to gain a comprehensive understanding of a patient’s oral health. By capturing images of the interior teeth and gums, these radiographs can reveal a wide range of conditions, from cavities and gum disease to oral cancer and infections. Understanding the different types of X-rays and their benefits can help patients work closely with their dentist to maintain optimal oral health and prevent serious issues from developing. With the right dental radiographs, dentists can detect and address problems early, improving outcomes and quality of life for their patients.

Can You See an Infection on a Dental X-ray?

Benefits of Dental Radiographs

Dental X-rays, also known as radiographs, are images of the teeth that a dentist uses to evaluate a patient’s oral health. Some patients require dental X-rays at every appointment, while others only need them every few years. The frequency in which a patient should receive an X-ray depends on the condition of their oral health, their dental history, and their overall medical history. We might recommend that newer patients receive X-rays as well so that we can understand the bigger picture of their oral health. Dental X-rays use a low level of radiation to capture images of the interior teeth and gums. These systems are quite commonly used to help dentists gain a full understanding of the best next steps for a patient. Some of the benefits of dental radiographs include:

• Making your dentist aware of changes in the hard and soft tissues
• Allowing the dentist to see how the teeth and jawbones are developing
• Helping your dentist identify diseases and developmental issues before they turn into serious health issues
• Preventing oral damage from worsening
• Detecting wisdom teeth development and determining the best route for extraction
• Identifying bone loss, tooth decay, and infections

Types of Dental X-rays

In order to understand the full scale of abilities that a dental X-ray has, it is important to be aware of the different types of dental X-rays. Dental X-rays are categorized into two main types: intraoral X-rays and extraoral X-rays. As the names suggest, intraoral X-rays are taken inside of the mouth and extraoral X-rays are taken outside of the mouth. The most commonly used forms of X-rays within these types are:

• Periapical X-rays

A periapical X-ray shows the whole tooth, from the crown to beyond the root where the tooth attaches to the jaw. These X-rays are able to show all the teeth in one portion of either the upper or lower jaw. These X-rays are useful for detecting unusual changes in the root and surrounding bone structures.

• Bitewing X-rays

This type of X-ray is used to look at one specific area of the mouth. A bitewing X-ray captures the visible area of the upper and lower teeth as well as part of the roots and supporting bone. These X-rays help dentists detect decay, particularly decay that occurs between the teeth, as well as irregular developments of the jawbone that are caused by gum disease.

• Occlusal X-rays

The purpose of an occlusal X-Ray is to show the full tooth development and placement of a patient’s teeth. Each X-Ray shows the full arch of the teeth in either the upper or lower jaw. These X-Rays might also be able to detect evidence of tumors or bone loss and blockages in the salivary ducts.

• Panoramic X-rays

As the name suggests, a panoramic X-Ray shows the entire mouth in one picture. The purpose of this type of X-Ray is not to show details like cavities. Rather, they are meant to show bone abnormalities, fractures, cysts, impacted teeth, infections, and tumors.

What Dental Radiographs Show

As you can see, different conditions will require a different kind of dental x-ray in order to be detected. At Austell Dental Associates, we prioritize performing dental X-rays when it is necessary because they help us see conditions that are invisible to the naked eye. Detecting and diagnosing oral health conditions is important, as oral health issues have become common on a massive scale in the U. S. According to the CDC, more than 40% of adults report having felt pain in their mouths in the last year, and more than 80% of people will have had at least one cavity by age 34. Because oral health conditions are known to impact quality of life and even lead to other issues throughout the body like heart disease, using dental radiographs to detect them is extremely important. Some of the most common oral conditions that the dental team at Austell Dental Associates can detect and diagnose through our dental X-ray technology are:

• Cavities and tooth decay

This is the most common dental issue, and is caused by a breakdown of the tooth enamel by acids that collect on the teeth. If left untreated, cavities can lead to abscesses under the gums, which can spread to other parts of the body and take a serious toll.

• Periodontal disease

Gum disease is another common issue, and is mainly the result of infections and inflammation of the gums and the bone that surrounds and supports the teeth. Symptoms of periodontal disease include swollen, red, and tender gums. In order to treat periodontal disease, the tartar on the root of the teeth and under the gum line must be removed.

• Oral cancer

One of the most important benefits of a dental x-Ray is that it can show whether oral cancer has spread to the jaw. Oral cancer often occurs in patients over the age of 40. Risk factors include tobacco use, heavy alcohol use, and HPV. Symptoms tend to include a sore, irritation, or patch in the mouth, a sore throat feeling, difficulty chewing, and difficulty moving the jaw or tongue. If found and treated at an early stage, oral cancer can be cured.

To schedule a teeth cleaning with Austell Dental Associates and receive a dental X-Ray, call us at (770) 467-3888 or contact us online.

Dental Xray Images — Categories and Applications

I am going to talk about different types of dental Xray images taken and their applications.  They can be broadly categorized as intraoral images and extraoral images.  Intraoral images are Xray images taken inside patient’s mouth and they includes periapical radiograph, bitewing radiograph, Full Mouth Series radiograph, and  occlusal radiograph.  The extraoral images are Xray images taken outside patients mouth and they include panoramic radiograph, cephalometric radiograph, and the 3D Cone-Beam Computed Tomography radiograph.

Periapical Xray Image shows the entire tooth.

Periapical radiograph is the Xray image captured the entirety of teeth, and it is especially useful for seeing the bone structure around each individual tooth.  It is useful for detecting the root canal infection because if there is an infection, there is a darken area enveloping the tip of the root of the tooth.

Bitewing Xray image showing the ‘side” view of upper and lower teeth biting together.

Bitewing radiograph is the Xray image capturing the parallel view of teeth.  The bitewing radiograph is captured at the approximately 90 degree angle to the horizontal axis of the tooth.  A proper bitewing radiograph should clearly show the edge of each tooth and there should not be any overlapping of the two adjacent teeth in the image.  Because of the angulation, the edge of the tooth is the clearest and this allows for detection of tooth cavity at the contact area of the tooth with the adjacent tooth.  Bitewing radiograph is especially useful for clinician to diagnose any dental cavity in between two teeth because this area cannot be seen visually and only this type of radiograph allows clinican to “see” the dental cavity.

The Full Mouth Series radiograph is a complete set of radiograph for every teeth in a person’s mouth.  Typically it consist of 18 images in total, in combination of anterior periapical radiographs, posterior periapical radiographs and bitewing radiogaphs.  Usually dentist would take this FMX radiograph at the time of comprehensive examination for new patient.  And also dentist would update the FMX radiograph at every 3-4 years interval.

Panoramic radiograph is taken with the panoramic machine, in which the images are created by xray tube and sensors extraorally.  During the image capture, the xray tube and sensor will rotate around the patient’s head.  The xray tube will emit the xray and the sensor will record the xray.  As the sensor is rotated, different area of the oral cavity is reconstructed onto a 2D image.  This is good for showing the sinus, jaw bone, and overall dental condition of the patient.  Also, it is useful for oral surgeon to determine the location of the wisdom tooth in relation to the jaw bone, sinuses, the nerve canal and the adjacent tooth.

Cephalometric radiograph is the side view of a patient’s head area.  It shows the bone morphology, the position of teeth, and skeletal structure.  It is commonly used by the orthodontist for planning of orthodontic treatment.

3D cone-beam computed tomograph is the 3D reconstructed view of head and neck area.  It is taken at a machine similar to the panoramic machine.  The Xray tube and sensor are also located extraorally and they too rotate around the patient’s head during image capture.  The major difference is that the resulting image is the 3D rendition of the patient’s face, showing the skeletal bone structure and the teeth.

Written by Daniel Tee, DDS, MS

Practicing General Dentist Serving the city of Tempe, Chandler, Phoenix, Gilbert, and Mesa in Arizona.

How to decipher an X-ray of a tooth? | Blog Med-Deo

When a patient goes to the dentist, the doctor conducts a thorough visual examination of the oral cavity. But often this is not enough to make an accurate diagnosis. If there is a suspicion of caries, pulpitis, periodontitis, x-rays are prescribed.

When a person receives a finished photograph, he or she cannot understand what exactly is depicted there. But an experienced doctor always knows how to decipher an X-ray of a tooth.

Imaging types for dental diagnostics

There are 3 types of diagnostic examinations used in dentistry:

• Spot X-ray
• Panoramic X-ray
• Dental CT scan

Spot X-ray

90 002 is used to examine 1-3 teeth. It allows you to recognize caries, pulpitis and other diseases. But often the information obtained on this x-ray is not enough to make a complete diagnostic picture.

Therefore, the most common type of diagnosis in dental practice is a panoramic image. This is a detailed x-ray of the upper and lower jaw, which shows the condition of all teeth, periodontal tissues, gums, bone tissues, joints.

Panoramic X-ray

prescribed when planned:

• Treatment of caries
• Dental prosthetics
• Correction of occlusion
• Treatment of pulpitis and periodontitis
• Implantation
• Extraction of wisdom teeth

Panoramic X-ray is recommended for preventive purposes . It will help to identify various diseases of the oral cavity in the initial stage – caries, pulpitis, periodontitis and others.

It is also used when a patient complains of pain and other discomfort, but the dentist does not detect anything during a visual examination.

In some cases, the dentist will order a CT scan of the teeth.

It is used when the most accurate diagnostic picture is needed. After all, CT of the teeth allows you to get a three-dimensional image, unlike a panoramic x-ray, which gives a picture in only two planes.

What does a panoramic shot look like?

This is an x-ray showing the upper and lower jaws unfolded. The shape of the dentition looks like a person is smiling. This is one of the main indicators of a properly done x-ray. Otherwise, the panoramic image will be distorted, which prevents an accurate diagnosis.

For ease of deciphering, the left and right sides on the x-ray are marked with the letters L and R.

The panoramic image clearly shows which of the teeth were filled during the treatment of caries.

The fact is that filling materials are often radiopaque and clearly visible in the picture. Sealed canals are highlighted in bright white.

Panoramic X-ray gives detailed information about the location of the wisdom teeth.

The dentist, when studying it, sees their localization, shape, direction of growth. Therefore, if the patient is concerned about wisdom teeth, and their removal is planned, a panoramic image is always assigned.

In addition, the expanded x-ray shows:

• Condition of the mandibular canal
• Borders of the maxillary sinuses and their position relative to the teeth
• Position of the maxillary joints
• Shape of the hard palate
• Condition of periodontal tissues – helps to identify periodontitis

90 011 Presence of cysts and other neoplasms of the jaw

• Carious cavities and root lesions
• Condition of interdental septa
• Presence of pulpitis
• Rudiments of permanent teeth in children
• Condition of periodontal tissues – depth of pockets, etc.
• Distance between roots and mandibular canal

One of the most common cases in which a panoramic X-ray is prescribed is the treatment of caries.

How to detect caries on X-ray?

An experienced dentist always knows what caries looks like on an x-ray and identifies it without any problems. X-ray shows carious cavities in the form of blackouts. In the initial stages of caries, they are not pronounced and are localized within the dentin. With deep lesions, darkening is more expressive and affects the pulp region and the neurovascular bundle.

If caries affects the lingual, vestibular or masticatory surface of the tooth, it may appear as lucencies, the shape of which is oval, round or linear. Caries on the contact surfaces is shown in a panoramic image in the form of V-shaped spots. If the patient has developed secondary caries, it is displayed on the x-ray as a band of enlightenment under the filling.

Panoramic X-ray in the diagnosis of caries provides a lot of important information:

• Helps to identify the localization of carious cavities
• Assesses the condition of the periodontium
• Reveals the type, size and shape of tooth damage in caries
• Helps determine the condition of the filling – merging, overhanging, etc.
• Diagnoses secondary caries
• Determines the stage of caries
• Estimates the extent of caries
• Gives assessment of the condition of the dentin, the degree of its damage by caries

X-ray is used not only to diagnose caries, but also to control its treatment.

The panoramic image clearly shows how well the filling was done, whether the filling fits snugly against the walls of the tooth, and whether there are any untreated carious cavities left.

Sometimes what caries looks like on an x-ray is not enough to get a complete diagnostic picture. In such cases, additional examinations are prescribed – CT scan of the teeth. Having received a three-dimensional image of the areas affected by caries, the dentist can prescribe the most correct treatment.

How does X-ray show pulpitis?

Panoramic X-ray is one of the common methods for diagnosing pulpitis. The x-ray shows several signs indicating pulpitis. Pronounced blackouts in the area of ​​the root canals or dental cavity indicate the presence of an inflammatory process. Also, pulpitis is indicated by the presence of granulomas on the x-ray – bright areas of a rounded shape.

A characteristic sign by which pulpitis is diagnosed is the presence of so-called denticles. These are single or multiple dense shadows of a rounded shape. They talk about the mineralization of the pulp, which occurs with pulpitis.

Since pulpitis and caries often occur simultaneously, on the X-ray, in addition to the indicated signs, carious cavities are clearly visible. If they go beyond the dentin, this indicates that the patient has begun to develop pulpitis. If the dentist sees that the panoramic x-ray of the teeth did not give the required completeness of the diagnostic picture, he additionally assigns a CT scan of the teeth to the patient to assess the stage of pulpitis.

What does periodontitis look like on an x-ray?

Panoramic X-ray helps dentists to identify periodontitis in a patient. On x-rays, healthy periodontal tissues look like a uniform narrow line between the tooth root and the bone alveolus. If a person has developed periodontitis, his panoramic image has the following signs:

• The periodontal fissure is significantly widened
• In the root region, a distinct darkening of irregular shape with uneven edges is visible – indicates the development of granulating periodontitis
• Round or oval darkening with even outlines – indicates the appearance of a granuloma or cyst due to advanced periodontitis

Panoramic the picture will help to recognize the stage and form of periodontitis, and then choose the appropriate treatment methods.

If the information provided on the x-ray is not enough, the attending physician recommends having a CT scan of the teeth for an accurate diagnosis of periodontitis.

What else can you see in a panoramic picture?

X-rays are used to examine periodontal and other tissues around the teeth. With the help of a panoramic image, the height of the interdental septa is easily determined, according to which the stage of periodontitis is revealed. An x-ray also shows the condition of the bone tissue. This information is important when planning implantation, bite correction, prosthetics.

In addition to the panoramic image, CT of the teeth is often used to assess the condition of periodontal tissues and bone. This diagnostic allows you to get a three-dimensional projection, therefore it is considered the most accurate and informative method.

If you are going to undergo an accurate diagnosis of the condition of the oral cavity, you will be helped by Med-Deo dentistry. We use a modern device with which we take panoramic pictures with high detail. We also have dental CT equipment.

Our specialists know exactly how to decipher the x-ray of a tooth and make a correct diagnosis based on it. Our clinic treats caries, periodontitis, pulpitis and other diseases.

Author dentist-surgeon Semenov Anton Igorevich

Professional dental X-ray in Moscow: DEMOSTOM dental clinic

Home Services Diagnostics X-ray of teeth

The value of an x-ray of a tooth is that it provides a lot of information that is not available during a routine examination, which is very useful for diagnosing and treating various diseases of the oral cavity. In addition, x-rays are effective for prolonged pain in the oral cavity due to an unknown, not externally visible cause. Nowadays, it is indispensable for safe, reliable and high-quality dental treatment.

Frequently asked questions about dental X-rays

Patients to whom the dentist has prescribed x-ray diagnostics often have many questions about such a study. We will try to answer the most common ones:

• When is a dental x-ray necessary? This is decided by the dentist after the initial examination. There are many reasons for such research. To make a correct diagnosis, the doctor needs to see the problem, which is often impossible to see from the outside;
• What is a panoramic x-ray? An orthopantomogram shows the general condition of the upper and lower jaws, the shape, number of teeth, and the condition of the roots. It shows the reasons why wisdom teeth do not grow, whether there are neoplasms, etc.;
• What types of such diagnostics are there? There are two main types of x-ray photography: panoramic x-rays, which show the entire image of the oral cavity, and dental x-rays, which show a small area, two to four teeth;
• What can be seen in this image? First of all, the size of the progression of caries, which can damage the enamel between the teeth and even the root system. Sometimes the severity of the problem is not visible visually. It happens that a neglected disease is hidden behind small blackouts. That is why it is extremely important to take an x-ray of the tooth on time;
• Is there any harm from exposure? Modern equipment installed in the DemoStom dental clinic will not cause any harm to health! The doses of radiation are so small that the procedure can be performed even on children for the diagnosis of milk teeth.

It is very important to brush your teeth and keep your teeth healthy, but as soon as discomfort or pain occurs, consult a dentist immediately, do not exacerbate the problem.

Dental x-ray cost

Dental x-ray is a mandatory procedure necessary for making a correct diagnosis and planning the most appropriate treatment. In fact, only with its help it is possible to see the structures of soft and hard tissues that cannot be seen with the naked eye. Dentists at the DemoStom clinic perform different types of radiographs, and when going to the dentist, it is important to consider that this type of examination incurs economic costs. The cost of the radiograph depends on the type: panoramic radiograph of the dental arches, intraoral or periapical radiography. Only a dentist can decide which type is appropriate for any given situation. For example, intraoral or periapical imaging helps to see small lesions such as small granulomas, incipient caries, small abscesses.