Digital X-rays in Silver Spring, Md.
Dr. Allen Gotora and the staff at Stellar Dental want to make sure that their patients have the best oral health possible. That’s why digital X-rays are an important part of the dental exam!
What is a digital X-ray?
Traditional dental X-rays used to mean extra time spent at the dentist’s office because you had to sit there waiting for the X-rays to be developed. Patients might be sitting there worrying about how much radiation they were getting from those X-rays.
However, digital X-rays have 80 percent less radiation than traditional X-rays. And, the results of X-rays are available within seconds.For a digital X-ray, a sensor is inserted into the patient’s mouth. The sensor is connected to a computer and a monitor. The monitor displays the picture of the X-ray automatically. There is no need to wait for X-ray films to develop.
This picture of the X-ray is crisp and clean — and if it’s not, it’s very easy for the dentist to take a new one. It is easy for the dentist to enlarge the image and make adjustments so that he can get a good look at the patient’s teeth and gums. This also means it is easy for the dentist to show the patient any problems he sees and explain why a treatment is recommended.
What are the other advantages of digital X-rays?
Another reason Dr. Gotora and the team at Stellar Dental uses digital X-rays is that they are better for the environment than traditional X-rays. There are no harmful chemicals needed to develop digital X-rays, and because they are stored digitally, there are no X-ray films piling up that will someday have to go into a landfill.
Digital X-rays are easy to e-mail. They can quickly be sent to an agent at an insurance company, another dentist or a specialist who is involved in a patient’s overall treatment plan.
When will Dr. Gotora take a digital X-ray?
Typically, Dr. Gotora will want a digital X-ray of your teeth every two years unless he thinks there may be a problem. Of course, the digital X-ray is only one way the team at Stellar Dental keeps patients’ teeth healthy. A dental exam includes many other checks of oral health.
Dr. Gotora will perform a visual check of the teeth for any signs of damage or decay. He will check the gums for any signs of gum disease, such as bleeding, pus, or the gums pulling away from the teeth. He will check to make sure the jaws align properly, and that the jaw joints seem healthy. He will check for any signs of abnormalities in the head, neck and jaw. And, he will check for any signs of oral cancer.
For a very thorough oral exam, see Dr. Gotora and the team at Stellar Dental! The dental exam, along with the use of digital X-rays, will help to ensure you have great oral health for years to come, and there are two convenient locations where you can get your exam. There are offices in Silver Spring and Hyattsville. Call (301) 754-1900 to make an appointment for an exam today!
