| This external view of your teeth is
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| | As part of your regular dental checkup,
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| important, but what's inside your teeth
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| | we may take x-rays. Different types of
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| is even more important to your overall
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| | x-ray images help us to identify areas of
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| health and the attractiveness of your
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| | decay, worn-out fillings, cracks, tartar,
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| smile.
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| | periodontal disease, bone infections,
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| Many first impressions are formed by the
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| | impacted wisdom teeth, long or crooked
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| whiteness and straightness of your teeth.
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| | roots, abscesses or cysts, problems with
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| This external view of your teeth is
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| | sinuses, or anything else that may appear
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| important, but what's inside your teeth
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| | unusual or abnormal.
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| is even more important to your overall
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| | Depending on your age and your dental
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| health and the attractiveness of your
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| | health situation, we may use different
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| smile.
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| | kinds of x-rays, including:
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| Your teeth: A complex set of layers
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| | - Bitewing x-rays: These are the most
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| From the outside, each tooth looks like a
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| | common type of x-rays. They capture
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| solid white object, but teeth actually
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| | images of your upper and lower teeth
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| are complex living tissues made up of
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| | above the gumline (the crowns)
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| several layers:
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| | simultaneously.
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| 1. Enamel
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| | - Full series of x-rays: Using 18
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| 2. Dentin
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| | different locations, these give us a
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| 3. Pulp
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| | complete picture of your mouth. We often
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| Enamel is the white, outermost layer of
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| | take a full series during your first
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| the tooth that covers the crown (the part
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| | visit with us.
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| of your tooth that you see, above the
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| | - Periapical x-rays: These give an
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| gumline). Enamel is the hardest substance
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| | excellent view of your entire tooth,
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| in your body. It provides strength for
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| | including the roots, any bone loss, and
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| biting and chewing, and it protects the
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| | cysts or abscesses. We may use these
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| inner layers from plaque and bacteria
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| | x-rays as a followup measure for
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| that lead to decay.
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| | monitoring your teeth and jaw.
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| Dentin is the second, yellowish layer
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| | - Panographic x-rays: These give us a
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| inside your tooth. This hard tissue
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| | complete picture of your entire mouth in
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| contains millions of tubules. Dentin is
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| | one image, including wisdom teeth, the
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| softer than enamel and provides support
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| | sinuses, and the jawbone.
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| for it, acting like a shock absorber to
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| | To ensure an accurate view, we may ask
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| take the impact of biting and chewing.
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| | you to tie back synthetic hair braids or
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| When a cavity develops, it breaks through
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| | remove jewelry, especially nose rings,
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| the enamel and attacks the dentin.
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| | mouth jewelry, or earrings with large
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| Pulp is the innermost layer, which
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| | hoops. This is particularly important
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| includes the nerves and blood supply for
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| | with panographic x-rays.
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| a tooth. This soft tissue reaches from
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| | Dental x-rays are safe, because our
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| the pulp chamber at the top of the tooth,
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| | sensitive x-ray equipment quickly and
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| down through the root canals in the tooth
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| | accurately targets only a specific area
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| roots. If decay reaches the pulp or root
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| | of your mouth. Our highly trained staff
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| canals, a filling may not be sufficient
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| | give you a lead apron and collar to
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| to protect the strength and health of
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| | provide additional protection. And our
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| your tooth.
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| | modern technology effectively minimizes
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| The roots of your teeth (the parts of
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| | the amount of radiation and how long you
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| your teeth below the gumline) also
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| | are exposed to it.
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| contain blood vessels and nerves that
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| | Radiation from a dental x-ray is very
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| connect your teeth to the nerves and
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| | low, not much more than the normal
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| blood vessels of your jawbone. The roots
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| | background radiation of everyday life
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| are covered with cementum. This extremely
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| | (household appliances, minerals in the
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| thin layer of tissue "cements" your teeth
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| | ground, ultraviolet rays from the sun,
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| to the bone.
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| | airplane travel or high altitudes, etc.).
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| Disease and decay that reach the roots
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| | And the benefits of using dental x-rays
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| are extremely serious and painful. That's
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| | far outweigh the risks.
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| why it's important for us to examine both
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| | Now that you've learned a bit about your
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| the outsides and the insides of your
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| | teeth from the inside out, we hope this
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| teeth.
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| | will inspire you to take good care of
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| X-rays: A safe view inside your teeth
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| | them from the outside in!
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