Digital X-rays
Using the most advanced dental technology possible is just as important as staying up-to-date on the latest treatment techniques. Because our practice is dedicated to providing you with the safest and most convenient treatment options available, we utilize advanced digital X-ray technology in our office.
Digital X-rays provide several advanced imaging options designed to save time, provide clearer dental photos, and expose patients to less radiation than traditional X-ray technology.
Our practice is focused on making your dental experience as comfortable as possible. At your next appointment, we'll be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Another service we offer is a CBCT which stands for Cone Beam CT scan. These are only taken every three to five years and billed as a panorex x-ray as a courtesy to our patients. A panorex is a part of the information that a CBCT provides and generally much less expensive than a full CBCT. It is also partially paid for by most dental insurance plans, while a CBCT is not.
This scan captures a full 3D image of your head, not just your teeth and jaws, but also structures like your sinuses, airway, nasal passages, and even parts of your neck and blood vessels.
Why We Send Your 3D Scan (CBCT) to a Radiologist for Review
Your dentist is trained to review this scan for dental concerns — teeth, bone, jaw joints, and treatment planning. But because the scan captures so much more than teeth, we also send it to a board-certified oral & maxillofacial radiologist for a full, independent review. This is the same standard of practice used in medical imaging, where a specialist reviews the entire image, not just the area of primary interest.
What the radiologist is specifically looking for:
- Sinuses — infections, blockages, cysts, or other abnormalities
- Airway — narrowing or structural issues that can be linked to sleep apnea or breathing difficulty
- Carotid arteries — calcifications (buildup) that can be an early warning sign of cardiovascular risk
- Jaw joints (TMJ) — bone changes or joint issues
- Bone pathology — cysts, tumors, or other abnormal growths that wouldn't necessarily cause symptoms yet
- Any other incidental finding outside the dental field of view
Why this matters:
Because a CBCT captures anatomy far beyond the teeth, findings sometimes turn up that have nothing to do with your dental treatment, but everything to do with your overall health. Catching something like a sinus abnormality, cancerous lesions, airway narrowing, or arterial calcification early can lead to a timely referral to the right specialist, sometimes before you'd have any symptoms at all.
There is a fee of $85 passed to the patient and it will not be covered by dental insurance. This fee covers the independent radiologist's formal written report, a second, specialist-level review of your full scan. It's optional but strongly recommended, since it adds a layer of diagnostic safety beyond what's needed for your dental treatment alone. You'll receive a copy of this report for your own records, and we're happy to forward it to your physician if anything relevant to your general health is noted.
