How Often Do I Need Dental X-rays?

There’s no hard and fast rule about how frequently people should get dental X-rays. That said, we can provide some general guidance backed by recommendations from the American Dental Association.

Your teeth are strong, white, and hard like bone. And although they technically aren’t bone, they have another similarity: You can see them clearly with an X-ray.

In fact, some of the decay that can’t be seen with the naked eye becomes readily apparent once you look at an X-ray image of your tooth. That’s why dental professionals regularly recommend this type of imaging for their patients.

At Laguna Vista Dental board-certified dentists Krystle Fenton, DDS, and Benjamin Radlein, DDS, can help you figure out how frequently you should get dental X-rays.

And when you do need this kind of imaging, we offer it from the comfort and convenience of our Elk Grove, California, office. Because they can help us catch decay early and identify other problems, we implement periodic X-rays into the care plan for all of our family dentistry patients.

How often to get X-rays

The American Dental Association (ADA) doesn’t issue a specific timeline for X-ray frequency. Instead, the ADA says that X-rays should be taken when your dentist deems them necessary.

For most patients, that means getting X-rays every year or so. This allows your dentist to check your mouth for potential issues — like tooth decay — so we can address problems in their earliest stages and increase your chances of maintaining a full smile of healthy teeth.

If you’re dealing with specific dental problems, we might recommend more frequent X-rays. If you’ve had persistent tooth decay, for example, getting X-rays every six months can help us tackle problems before they grow and compromise your teeth.

When we recommend dental X-rays

We recommend X-rays periodically — e.g., on a yearly schedule — because it allows us to check your mouth for potential problems we can’t see otherwise. That includes:

Tooth decay
Jawbone loss
Infection
Cysts

We might also recommend an X-ray to see if you’re a candidate for certain options — like dental implants — or to better plan a treatment you need. We may use an X-ray to determine how much of your tooth we need to remove to get all of the decay out and prep for a filling, for example.

Dental X-rays are completely safe and pain-free. Plus, they take just minutes. We use the latest technology to protect you during the process while getting clear, informative images of your teeth.

Ultimately, X-ray imaging allows us to best tailor your dental care to keep your mouth healthy. We recommend the right cadence for you based on your teeth today, your oral health history, and other factors unique to you.

To talk with Dr. Fenton or Dr. Radlein and find out how frequently you should be getting X-rays, call Laguna Vista Dental today or book an appointment online.