Low Radiation Dental X-rays in Weymouth, MA
While examining and treating your teeth, it may be necessary to take x-rays to see beneath your gums. Although x-rays can expose you to radiation, our dentists at Weymouth Dental Associates in Weymouth, MA, use low radiation dental x-rays to view the structure of your mouth.
What are Low Radiation X-rays?
To address concerns about exposure to radiation, low radiation x-ray machines are now becoming the standard systems in most dental offices across the country. These digital x-ray machines expose patients to 50 percent less radiation than the older x-ray machines.
The Amount of Radiation Exposure
When x-rays are necessary, our dentists at Weymouth Dental Associates use a low-dose digital x-ray machine. This type of machine only exposes patients in Weymouth, MA, to as little as 0.005 mSv (micro Sieverts) of radiation, which is less than the radiation that you’re exposed to daily.
Also, with digital x-rays, there is less exposure to radiation because not as many x-rays are necessary. They use about half of the radiation to take images than older x-ray machines, and the results of low radiation dental x-rays are much faster. The dentist can pull up the images on the computer instead of needing to develop a film to see the results.
Better for the Environment
Along with getting faster results, not needing to develop film is a better choice for the environment, and it saves the practice money. Instead of using film and chemicals to develop x-rays, they are digital, so physical copies of x-rays are unnecessary. This also means the practice doesn’t need to dispose of used chemicals and film, which can end up polluting the environment if not correctly handled.
If you have concerns about exposing yourself or your children to unnecessary amounts of radiation, contact Weymouth Dental Associates in Weymouth, MA, to schedule consultations with our dentists. By taking low radiation dental x-rays, we expose our patients to less radiation and help keep the environment clean.