Are dental xrays safe?

[mi26]

Over the years I've had dental issues that seem to of had me getting dental xrays more than I probably should. Are they safe? I know I've read the radiation is minimal, but should I be worried?

 

[comfortdentist]

Modern digital x-rays are about 90% less radiation than the standard speed film that was the only solution some years ago and is still sold today.
So compare it to the following
Temporary radiation sickness 1,000,000mSv
Average medical (not dental ) CT scan about 10mSv
Living at high altitude for one year gives you about 4.5mSv
Living in a brick, stone or concrete house for 1 year is about 0.07mSv

Typical Panaramic dental x-ray 0.01mSv eating 100g of Brazil nuts 0.01mSv Flying in a jet plane for 1 hour 0.005mSv Typical dental x-ray 0.005mSV Eating one banana- 0.0001mSv

I wouldn't worry

 

[sharon]

That's good to know!

How about the ct scans that the oral surgeon insists I have at the f/u appt after the surgeries - I think I've had 3 so far. He tells me it's minimal but I'm sure its way more than the regular old digital xray.

With two more implants coming up I'm getting concerned.

Sharon

 

[tigerstripedred]

you can ask them to reduce the settings...they changed mine to the setting for a child...in front of me. I refuse to have another though unless I need another implant. (not everyone is so accomodating but you can try.) Based on their default setting it reduced my exposure a pretty substancial amount. and i'm.pretty small so there wasn't a quality in image sacrifice.
I got lucky and only had one CBCT...the machine wouldn't work mid procedure(must have known how I felt about the exposure haha) so they had to do regular digitals...and I he had already agreed to a digital at the end instead of a 2nd CBCT same day.

But yeah no CBCT no implant

 

[comfortdentist]

CBCT that dentists use all expose you to so much less radiation than the medical CT that its hard to believe.
In general the radiation dosage has gone down in the last ten years.
What's most important is that the dentist has adequate information to safely perform the procedure.

​And yes I too have had a cbct