Are dental X-rays safe? How much radiation is involved?

Dental X-rays use a very small amount of radiation, and modern digital X-rays (which we use) have cut that exposure by roughly 80–90% compared with older film. To put it in perspective, a routine set of bitewing X-rays delivers about the same radiation you'd get from a few hours to a day of ordinary background living — far less than, say, a cross-country flight.

X-rays let us see what an exam alone can't: decay starting between teeth, bone levels around the roots, infections, abscesses, and the position of developing teeth. Catching these early is usually less invasive and less costly to treat.

We take a few simple precautions: we only take X-rays when there's a clear clinical reason, we tailor how often based on your individual risk rather than a fixed schedule, and we use shielding. For patients who are pregnant, we typically postpone routine X-rays unless there's an urgent concern. If you'd ever like to know why a particular X-ray is recommended, just ask — we're happy to explain.