How useful are X-rays to see a fractured tooth

We always get this question. “Aren’t X-rays harmful?” or “Does it have any side effects on the brain?”

Well, to answer this question, it is important to know what “natural background radiation” is. This is basically the radiation we receive on a daily basis from the environment.

And the doses from intraoral and full mouth radiographs are lower, less than one day of natural background radiation.

Does that answer the question?

Also, consider the benefits of taking a small X-Ray especially when there is a broken tooth involved. We can:

1. Give emergency treatment :

1. Visualize the extent of fracture, and that helps us in planning the treatment.
2. If the tooth pieces are loose, we can also use X ray to confirm we have repositioned the tooth in the correct manner

2. Monitor the tooth:

1.  See if there is any developing infection
2. Check if the tooth root is formed nicely or not. In young children with newly erupted teeth, the root may not be formed completely. In such a case, we use a calcium rich material called MTA to seal the root.

3. Monitor the treatment:

Monitor the treatment given to see if the filling is in the correct place and the body is accepting the treatment.

Clearly there are more benefits and is a must, especially in cases of traumatic injuries!