Concord dentist | NH |

Digital X-Ray

Digital x-rays are quickly becoming the standard in dental imaging.

Digital x-rays allow us to get a much better view of your teeth and potential dental conditions. The digital imaging software allows us to see a number of different views of the tooth to gain a better understanding of the proper course of treatment or overall health management.

Digital x-rays provide a great benefit to our patients. Not only are they an excellent diagnostic tool, but they decrease radiation to our patients by over 80%.

What You Should Know About Dental X-rays

As You Get Ready to Join Our Practice

What if you told your auto mechanic to fix a problem with your car but insist that he not use his diagnostic tools to figure out how bad the problem is?

When patients tell us that they don't want to have any x-rays taken unless they are covered by insurance, Dr. Doner is placed in an impossible position. Without having his patient's permission to take x-rays, he doesn't have the critical tools he needs to determine if there are any problems; like tartar forming below the gum line, decay, fractures, bone loss or signs of cancer.

Because we understand that our patients only want to pay for care that is absolutely necessary, we thought it would be helpful to outline for you the different types of x-rays that are routinely taken at a dental office and the valuable information that each type provides to Dr. Doner and our hygienists.

How Many X-rays Does Dr. Doner Need?

He may request three different kinds of x-rays to diagnose developing problems.We will usually take two of the three types of x-rays during a new patient's initial exam:

1. Full mouth x-rays: are a combination of bitewing and periapical x-rays. These x-rays provide Dr. Doner with a full view of each individual tooth.
   • Bitewings: Taken to view the above-the-gum line tooth structure of the back teeth to detect tartar, decay, bone loss or defective crowns or fillings.
   • Periapicals: Taken to provide a clearer picture of the roots of the teeth under the gum line, to see any possible infections, damage or defects in the roots.
2. Panographic x-rays help Dr. Doner view your entire mouth and bony structures, to screen for any signs of cysts or tumors in the jaws or sinuses, or to detect missing teeth or impacted teeth trapped below the gum line.

The need for radiographs for your first visit is determined by whether or not we have received diagnostic quality copies from your prior dentist and how long ago those x-rays were taken. Even with good oral hygiene and regular checkups, more recent x-rays may need to be taken to monitor any new or ongoing conditions, particularly if you have periodontal disease or frequent cavities.

What Will Your Insurance Cover?

Every dental plan has limitations that don't necessarily consider your personal dental health needs. Typically, dental plans will pay for a full mouth series during an initial patient exam, but won't pay for the panographic x-ray taken on the same day (or within 3-5 years from the last full mouth series you previously had taken anywhere else!). Your dental plan's limitations do not mean that the x-rays Dr. Doner may be requesting aren't necessary to meet the standard of care.

Free Dental Plan Evaluation

We want to be sure you are not surprised in any way; that there may be a payment due from you at the end of your first visit. To ensure that you get the maximum available benefits from your dental plan, we are happy to provide a complimentary dental plan evaluation. We will call your current dental plan, before you arrive, to determine what types of x-rays they have on record for you and when those x-rays were taken. This will help us schedule any new x-rays at our office based on both your dental plan's records and Dr. Doner's clinical diagnostic needs!