Dental radiographs, commonly known as dental x-rays, are one of the dentist’s most powerful preventive & diagnostic tools. They allow us to see potential threats to you dental health (like cavities) & plan treatment more accurately. There are several different types of dental x-rays, and it’s a good idea to know what each one is for so you’ll understand why we take so many!

Dental x-rays have been in use for a long time. A German scientist named Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen discovered x-rays in 1895. He called them x-rays because he didn’t know what they were, hence the “x”, and the name stuck. The first dental x-ray was taken just 14 days after the discovery was announced. In the last 122 years, dental x-rays have been continuously improved to be safer, gentler, & more accurate.

Bitewing X-Rays

These are the type of x-rays patients are the most familiar with. They are called bitewing because the patient bites down on a wing-shaped sensor or film while the x-ray machine takes the image. These x-rays show just a few teeth at a time and are used primarily for detecting potential tooth decay between teeth that isn’t visible to the naked eye. Most patients get bitewing x-rays about once a year, but patients who are prone to tooth decay may get them more often. Bitewing x-rays can also be used to monitor wisdom teeth and help plan wisdom teeth removal.

Panoramic X-Rays

Panoramic x-rays show your entire mouth in a single image, both top and bottom jaws (or arches, in dentist-speak). They show the entire tooth, crown and root, plus the jawbone. Instead of being done in the dental chair, panoramic x-rays use a special machine that the patient stands in. The x-ray scanner itself then rotates from one side of your head to the other, creating a continuous image. There are usually braces for your head and face that help keep you very still while the scanner revolves around you. Panoramic x-rays are used in orthodontic treatment planning, such as braces, and when planning extractions, including wisdom teeth removal.

Periapical X-Rays

Periapical x-rays take a close look at just a few teeth at a time. Unlike bitewing x-rays, periapical x-rays look at the entire tooth, from crown to root. For this reason, they are often used in diagnosing dental abscesses, which can be caused by infections or decay on the tooth root and are therefore not visible from the outside.

Cone Beam CT

It’s easiest to think of cone beam CT (computed tomography) as a 3-D version of a panoramic x-ray. Just like the panoramic, the patient stands or sits still while the sensor rotates around. This scan information is then sent to a computer where special software helps generate a 3-D model of your teeth and jaws. Cone beam scans are not a typical part of prevention or treatment, and therefore aren’t done on all patients. They are often used to plan the sizing, placement and configuration of dental implants.

We know many dental patients find the ins & outs of dental insurance confusing, but if you have dental insurance the most important thing for you to know is that you get two free cleanings per year!

Nearly all dental insurance plans are set up in favor of preventive care. Most plan benefits cover two annual teeth cleanings (also referred to as hygiene or prophylaxis in clinical terms) at 100%, meaning you won’t pay anything out of pocket for your visit & the insurance company covers the cost of your annual cleanings. This is one of the ways that insurance companies & your dentist encourage you to prevent dental problems. By seeing the dentist for a cleaning every six months, which usually includes a brief exam, we can catch problems before they become painful, costly or both!

At a typical dental clinic, teeth cleanings are the most common reason patients come in to the office. If your teeth are relatively health, you’ve avoided having a dental injury, & you haven’t chosen to have cosmetic dentistry, most of time your visits to our office will not involve a financial transaction on your part at all. That being said, we will bill your insurance for your cleaning, meaning each cleaning won’t cost you cash, but it will cost you one of your annually allotted teeth cleaning benefits from your dental plan.

In some very rare situations, your insurance company may request you pay a small out-of-pocket cost for your cleaning. However, this shouldn’t be a reason not to get your cleaning. The $10 copay you pay twice a year for your cleaning if you have this kind of insurance plan is small compared to the hundreds or thousands you might pay out of pocket if something goes wrong & you need a crown because you haven’t been going to the dentist!

We don’t want anything to stand between you & optimal dental health. That’s why we offer teeth cleaning appointments that fit your busy schedule. We strive to provide appointment times that don’t require you to take off work (or school). We’d much rather see you before or after work for your teeth cleaning than pull you away from your obligations in the middle of the day. If you don’t already have your next 6-month teeth cleaning appointment scheduled, call us today so we can arrange it!

Take advantage of your teeth cleaning benefits! They’re made available to you in order to keep both your smile & your wallet healthy!

As your dental clinic, it’s our responsibility to help guide you through your oral health care so it is as easy & affordable as possible. As a result, we’re dedicated to helping you make the most of your dental insurance, ensuring you get the care you need & you take advantage of every benefit available to you.

Did you know that your dental benefits don’t roll over from year to year? Once you reach the end of the calendar year, your annual dental benefits disappear for good, whether or not you’ve used them.

What do we mean by dental benefits? One of the best examples of a dental insurance benefit are the preventive care services that are usually covered between 80% to 100%, meaning the insurance company pays 80%-100% of the cost of the service . For example, most dental insurance plans give you two teeth cleaning visits each year covered at 100%, meaning you pay nothing out-of-pocket for your dental hygiene visit. Most insurance plans also fully cover at least one set of full mouth x-rays each year.

However, if you’ve visited the dentist for one teeth cleaning this year, that doesn’t mean you get three teeth cleanings next year! Instead, that free cleaning that you skipped goes away at the end of the year & you never get it back!

Another example of your insurance benefits is your annual maximum, meaning the maximum amount that your dental insurance company will pay toward your dental care each year. Annual maximums vary greatly, but say your plan’s maximum is $2,500. If you’ve only used $500 of that $2,500 by the end of the year, the remaining $2,000 disappears & you never get to use it. Essentially, you’re leaving money on the table!

So what should you do if the year is almost up & you still have some of your annual maximum left? Well, this is why the end of the year is a great time to start recommended treatment. First of all, if you haven’t had both your teeth cleanings this year, call us as soon as possible to schedule your second cleaning before the end of the year!

As another example, imagine we told you that you need a crown on one of your molars but you haven’t actually completed the treatment yet. If you continue to put off getting the crown until the beginning of next year, you’ll be throwing away your remaining annual maximum for this year & using up next year’s benefits early instead. That means if you need any other treatment during the course of next year, you will have already used up your annual maximum & will have to pay out-of-pocket for it. Using up this year’s insurance maximum could actually save you money next year by ensuring you don’t hit your maximum too early!

So if you have dental treatment recommendations from us that you haven’t completed yet, give us a call as soon as possible so we can schedule your visit before the end-of-year rush. We’d be happy to help you check to see if you’ve hit your annual maximum yet & help you make the most of the money you have remaining on your insurance plan.

When most of a us think of a teeth cleaning appointment, we think of polishing & maybe a little scraping. But the truth is that teeth cleaning appointments are about so much more than clean, shiny teeth!

Most teeth cleaning appointments also include a quick examination by the dentist. That’s one of the reasons we call them check-ups: your teeth cleaning appointment is an opportunity for the dental hygienist & the dentist check up on your oral health.

The dentist will pop in at some point during your time with the dental hygienist & perform a quick examination. This exam looks for more than just cavities. The dentist & the hygienist will examine your gums for signs of gum disease & your entire mouth for other problems, such as early signs of oral cancer. This may involve a little poking & prodding with a small metal tool called an explorer & a dental mirror. They will also review your x-rays, which are often taken at the beginning of the appointment. The dentist will discuss any potential problems that they have spotted, introduce treatment options if necessary, & ask you if you have any concerns.

Your teeth cleaning appointment is also a great opportunity for educate yourself about your teeth. Even if all you need is to brush up (so to speak) on your toothbrushing & flossing techniques, your teeth cleaning is a great opportunity to ask questions. You can ask your dentist or dental hygienist for recommendations on which toothpaste to use, options for whitening your teeth, or any other topics of concern or curiosity. Regular dental care works best when the dentist, hygienist & the patient are all actively involved in the treatment process, so don’t be shy about getting informed!

It’s also extremely important to know that your dental health is part of your overall health. Just because you see one doctor for your teeth & another for your general health doesn’t mean these things aren’t related! Gum disease & tooth decay have been linked to other health problems like heart disease & low birthweight in babies. People with certain health problems like diabetes or cancer are more prone to dental problems than others. In addition to oral health related problems, your dentist & hygienist can spot signs in your mouth (such as dry mouth, bad breath or sores) that may indicate a problem with your general health.

We know not everyone looks forward to teeth cleanings, but going to your dentist frequently for a cleaning & checkup is the best way to prevent potentially painful & expensive dental problems in your future & keep tabs on your health in general. If we catch a problem early during your cleaning appointment, your treatment is likely to be more comfortable, less complicated, & less expensive.

Over time, plaque (a thick, bacteria-filled film) and tartar (a hard calcium-based build-up) can build up on your teeth & eventually lead to tooth decay. While regular brushing & flossing at home can help prevent this buildup, it can’t necessarily remove it. That’s why going to your dentist for a professional cleaning is so important.

Even if you have impeccable home oral hygiene habits (you floss & brush for at least two minutes twice daily, or even after every meal), there is still work for your dental hygienist to do at your teeth cleaning appointment to help prevent tooth decay. The cleaning you get at the dentist is a more thorough cleaning that you can get at home, even if you’re a brushing & flossing superstar.

If left on your teeth, icky buildups of plaque & tartar create an ideal habitat for bacteria to thrive. Allowing bacteria to stay on your teeth & near your gums can lead to both tooth decay & gum disease, both of which can cause you to lose your teeth (not to mention the pain & expenses). Bacteria have a harder time sticking to smooth, clean teeth than rough or fuzzy-feeling teeth with plaque & tartar on them.

Plus, having a professional teeth cleaning at the dentist means that you have a head start on keeping your teeth clean. Rather than battling potentially years of buildup (if you haven’t been to the dentist in a while), getting your teeth cleaned regularly means your get a clean start every six months & it will be that much easier to get a smooth, shiny smile at home between dental visits.

Best of all, cleanings can save you money in the long run. Most insured patients don’t pay anything out of pocket for their cleanings, so it’s essentially free. Plus, if you catch problems early or have the opportunity to prevent them you could eliminate the need for more expensive procedures to restore damage from tooth decay or gum disease in the future.