X-Rays are harmful, no two ways about it. But now there is digital X-rays that reduces as much as 90% of radiation to the patient! Now that’s something that is impressive and it is a lot safer in this health conscious society that we live in. So when you go to your dentist, be sure to ask if they use digital X-Rays or yester-millennium’s film X-rays.
A digital dental X Ray
Q: How much do X-Rays cost?
A: It cost around SGD$70 - SGD$120
Q: After I take an X-Ray from a dental clinic, can I request to take it home?
A: Absolutely. You can request the doctor to either give you a printed copy (if they have the printing facilities in the clinic) or send it to you via a jpeg file over the net.
Q: What is the use of taking an dental X-Ray?
A: There are many things that the dentist can see; cavities, holes, bleeding of gums, infection etc.
But there are more things that the dentist cannot see:
- possible bone loss associated with periodontal (gum) disease
- decay developing underneath an existing filling
- cracks or other damage to existing fillings
- root canal conditions, when the nerve becomes infected or dies
- abnormalities like cancer, cysts
- monitor tooth growth and overcrowding (in children)
My dentist doesn’t have a digital, will ask him about it next time i visit. Thank for the info!
Hi there John!
Thanks for the comment! Nowadays in Singapore, many of the dental clinics are switching (if not contemplating switching) to digital X-Rays due to the MAJOR benefits for both patients (dramatically lower doses of radiation) as well as for dentist themselves (able to do drawings and accurate measurements with the digital X-Rays and even the ease of distribution e.g. if dentist in Toa Payoh wants to refer a patient to a specialist in Orchard, he can just send an email of the Patient’s digital X-rays over.) So insist on a digital X-Ray if you are required to do one in the first place!
Hope that’s informative!
Dear Editor,
What about cone beam CT. Can you give us more information of Cone beam CT?
I understand from a friend that when doing implants a X-ray is not enough, dentist need CT to accurately plan the treatment. is it true?
LuLu
Hi Lulu,
Cone beam CT is yet another advancement in dentistry, giving dental surgeons ‘eyes’ to see into areas of bone mass and shape never possible until now. As of every technological advancement, the benefits far surpass the latter.
But frankly, as in any industry (Lasik, medical, gardening etc), the companies that churn out the ‘latest technology’ are the same forces that lobby the product’s benefits to dentist. Dentist in turn, having forked out large amounts of finances, push the benefits of these technology to the public. Knowing this, a dentist that has bought a CT cone beam would definitely ‘boast’ of the accuracy and dire need of having a CT Scan before doing any implant surgery.
Yet, dental surgeons have been successfully doing implant surgeries before the existence of CT scans…
Bottom line: Yes CT gives more accuracy (especially for more complex cases). But dental surgeons do not need it to accurately plan treatment.
Dear Editor,
How to define complex cases? i am going for a full mouth implant, so should i go for one that has dental CT?
If yes, who is using one in Singapore?
What about radiation?
LuLu
Wonderful article. Both well written and informative at the same time. Love it!
I require to do CT Scan for my teeth, can someone tell me where is the cheaper clinic/dentist that I can go? I really can’t afford $250 that was refferred to me. Please help.
Thanks to this article. I learned something. Keep posting!:)