Do I really need full mouth X-Rays?

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TLS - 27 Sep 2005 03:47 GMT

My new dentist wants to do full mouth x-rays (I think he said 17 of
them!). Is this really necessary? I have healthy teeth, am young, 28 and
have no history of teeth problems. I think I had fully mouth xrays done
several years ago but I'm wanting to limit my exposure to radiation at
this juncture.

Any thoughts?

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Joel M. Eichen - 27 Sep 2005 11:12 GMT

>My new dentist wants to do full mouth x-rays (I think he said 17 of
>them!). Is this really necessary? I have healthy teeth, am young, 28 and
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>
>Any thoughts?

Yup, one panorex plus 2 bite-wings will do.

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Amatus Cremona - 27 Sep 2005 12:47 GMT

> Yup, one panorex plus 2 bite-wings will do.

Yes, you should be able to count how many teeth you have from the average
Panorex film.

My full mouth series is 20 pictures. If your dentist has digital x-ray
devices, the radiation from 20 exposures is about what you would get with
4-8 exposures on film.

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/

Amatus

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>
>>My new dentist wants to do full mouth x-rays (I think he said 17 of
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> Yup, one panorex plus 2 bite-wings will do.

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Mark & Steven Bornfeld - 27 Sep 2005 17:26 GMT

> My new dentist wants to do full mouth x-rays (I think he said 17 of
> them!). Is this really necessary? I have healthy teeth, am young, 28 and
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>
> Any thoughts?

    I have learned to my sorrow (and patient's) that just because someone
hasn't had decay or other problems for a very long time does not mean
they will never have decay or other problems.
    I tend to be conservative with x-rays, esp. full series of x-rays. I
have occasionally found that this attitude can lead to delay in picking
up problems.
    My advice--get the full series.

Steve

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Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS
http://www.dentaltwins.com
Brooklyn, NY
718-258-5001

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Dartos - 27 Sep 2005 21:34 GMT

Been there, done that myself! Not a pleasant situation
to explain the need for a root canal soon after a check-up
(due to undetected interproximal decay).

:-(

Dartos

> I have learned to my sorrow (and patient's) that just because
> someone hasn't had decay or other problems for a very long time does not
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
> Steve

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