At what age should my child have dental x-rays?

Of course, we already discussed earlier in the When should I first take my child to the dentist? post that your child should start seeing the dentist early and we also learned that they should go for check-ups and cleaning every six months. At the check up appointment, the dentist may want take a few x-rays.  There are many different types of x-rays that are considered acceptable for a child, and it really depends on what the dental team is looking to evaluate.

Generally speaking, usually around three or four years old, check-up x-rays (also called bite wing x-rays) may be taken if the child does not have spaces or has limited spaces between the baby teeth or if decay is suspected in an area between the teeth. Children at this age have very small mouths, and so typically all is needed are two of these films (understand that this may vary depending on the child).  These films are done every year to eighteen months, again depending on the child.  There really isn’t a minimum age requirement for these check-up x-rays, it is really dependent on the spaces between their teeth and the visibility between them.  These x-rays are done to look for cavities in between the teeth, thus the reason they may not be necessary to take if the child has adequate spaces between their teeth.  If spaces are present, the dentist can usually see the tooth directly without the use of x-rays.

At around age 5 or older, your dentist may choose to take another x-ray called a panorex or “panoramic film.”  This film does not look for cavities but rather is a tool for evaluating possible missing teeth, disorders of the jaw including cysts, tumors (cancerous and non-cancerous) and a myriad of other things.  It may also be used to aid in orthodontic evaluation in the future.  This is a film that is typically done every three to five years or even less depending on the use for the x-ray.

There are other x-rays sometimes done for other reasons.  One more commonly done x-ray is called a “P.A.”, which stands for a periapical x-ray.  It is just a fancy dental word for an x-ray that shows the entire tooth, including the root and the surrounding bone and is usually done on children to evaluate a possible abscess or to determine the length of time until a permanent tooth will erupt.  This is an acceptable x-ray for children at any age if the dentist has a concern about a specific tooth.

Another film that a parent may encounter at the dentist is called an occlusal film.  This is a film that may be taken of either the upper or lower teeth and is meant to see a better three dimensional view of erupting teeth or pinpoint pathology within the jaws.  This kind of x-ray is not done that often, but is very important when trying to determine very specific details that would otherwise not show up.  It is usually only done if the dentist has a very specific reason for taking it.

One question I am frequently asked regarding x-rays and children are about the relative danger to the child.  In general, x-rays in moderation are considered to be safe when precautions are taken to minimize radiation exposure.  This is the same for adults.  In fact, we are often taught in school that we receive more radiation exposure from the sun on a single day then we do in a set of yearly x-rays.

For children, it is especially important that the areas sensitive to radiation are covered during x-rays.  These areas include the thyroid/neck area as well as the reproductive areas of the child.  This shielding is done with a lead apron.  Dental offices are also required to undergo annual testing and evaluation of the radiation equipment (this varies by state) to be sure they are in compliance with state radiation regulations.  In addition, most states require that the staff taking x-rays have completed a regulated x-ray dental safety and technique course in order to take x-rays.  These certificates will usually be posted for patients to see.

Tags: Appointment, Baby Teeth, Cavities, Check Ups, Child Dentist, Cysts, Decay, Dental Team, Dental X Rays, Dentist, Films, Many Different Types, Missing Teeth, Mouths, Myriad, Orthodontic Evaluation, Six Months, Tumors, Ups, Visibility, X Ray