Dental XRays

[becca]

I feel like I have posted something related to this before but can't find it.

Our long time dentist quit taking our insurance. I broke a tooth and went to a new dentist (who takes our insurance) who immediately insisted she had to take 22 xrays before she would treat me. I don't like getting a lot of xrays. I left the office without being treated.

I am just going to pay out of pocket and go back to my former dentist. She will only xray the area where the tooth is broken...which I have no problem with.

My husband had a similar experience, except they only wanted to take 17 xrays.

Why are dentist taking so many xrays now?

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

Edit: A quick Google search revealed the following:

A “full-set” of X-rays shows all of your teeth and all of the surrounding bone, Helping to diagnose cavities, cysts or tumors, abscesses, impacted teeth, and gum disease. A full set usually consists of 14-20 individual X-rays and is generally recommended during the first visit with a new dentist to aid in proper diagnosis and treatment planning.

 

[HawkeyeNFO]

x-rays sound profitable

 

[COcheesehead]

I get x rays about once a year. The cost difference for a visit with them vs without them is about $30-$40. That to me is cheap for what they provide.

 

[athena53]

I get x rays about once a year. The cost difference for a visit with them vs without them is about $30-$40. That to me is cheap for what they provide.

Same here but mine doesn't do 15-20. Maybe 4 to cover all the quadrants. I do remember my initial visit with a new dentist years ago (still my dentist) where they did an "inventory" of each tooth- missing, bridged, filling etc. I was impressed.

 

[TripleLindy]

My dentist knows that I don’t have dental insurance so he doesn’t insist on a full set of X-rays every year. I think I get the full treatment every other year, but even then I think it’s more like 4 X-rays, not 15-20.

My bigger beef with my dentist is that my fees as self pay are higher than they were under my insurance, which is the opposite of most other healthcare providers. I’m paying cash at the time of service with no insurance hassles. Other docs give me a cash rate when I don’t have them file with insurance and that rate is lower than the contracted rate with the insurer. That model makes more sense to me.

 

[Irishgirlyc58]

It’s been years but as I recall my dentist took many X-rays at my initial visit. The extensive X-rays inform the dentist about what is going on with your teeth and mouth. I prefer a dentist who wants this information.
I also prefer a dentist that keeps up to date with their equipment. New technology can improve the quality of the information that the dentist is receiving.
That can be important should something go wacky with your teeth.

 

[jollystomper]

The above link that mentions 14-20 xrays is from a dental organization. Here is a link from an insurance company the provides a more detailed breakdown of the types of xrays and when they are done (or needed): https://www.cignadentalplans.com/dental-care/types-of-dental-x-rays-and-how-often-you-need-them

The "regular" x-rays are bitewings, those are annual. I believe any additional ones are only done for specific reasons (pain, root canal planning, implants, etc.).

Our dentist takes xrays once a year, the standard bitewings, and that is covered by insurance. They only do 4, one for each quadrant. 22 sounds like a lot without a specific problem in play.

 

[RetMD21]

I get bitewings every other year (cash)

This is what the ADA/FDA recommend for new adult patients

an individualized radiographic examination, consisting of posterior bitewings with
selected periapical images or panoramic examination when indicated is recommended. A full mouth intraoral radiographic examination is preferred when the patient has clinical evidence of generalized oral disease or a history of extensive dental treatment.

https://www.ada.org/resources/resea...stitute/oral-health-topics/x-rays-radiographs

Obviously more x-rays means more money

 

[braumeister]

X-rays are enormously useful to let the dentist figure out what needs to be done. And it's wise to realize that modern dental X-rays are an extremely low dose of radiation.

But 22 of them is ridiculous. Four a year should be plenty.

 

[Freedom56]

As stated above, Dentists need to understand what else is wrong. Normally with new patients they take a full mouth X-ray. Everyone is using digital X-rays now that emit only a small fraction of the radiation that the older film systems emitted.

 

[Ronstar]

My insurance pays for X-rays once a year. I have 2 dental checkups a year so I have X-rays every other checkup. I had X-rays at yesterday’s checkup. Technician takes X-rays as soon as I get there. One X-ray per side. But I think it takes multiple views per each X-ray. Dentist does cleaning and then looks at the X-rays right before I leave. I think it’s weird that he looks at them last, but he does look at them thoroughly.

 

[Koolau]

IIRC I typically get a panorama x-ray - just one covers every thing.

 

[Alan]

I get 4 X-rays every other year unless there are specific issues. Recently I chipped a filling and the dentist asked if he could take the opportunity to go a little deeper and fill a small cavity below. He showed me the X-rays on his laptop over the last 6 years where he had identified a small area that had only increased by 1 or 2 mm over the last couple of years. Perfect, and he put in a foundation filling should a crown be needed in future years

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

I agree that if the dentist knows nothing about your history, a full set of X-rays is probably them doing their due diligence and making sure you do not have any problems lurking under the surface. Others have mentioned that 22 seems high, but not unusually so. I would be leery of a dentist who didn't insist on X-rays, it feels kind of like a physician prescribing something without an office visit.

 

[FindingForward]

Why don't you call your previous dentist and ask the office to transfer records and xrays? There's usually no charge if they're transferring directly to another provider. If you've had xrays in the past 12 months, your new provider may be fine reviewing those. If you haven't had xrays in a long time, any new dentist will want to see what's going on beyond what a clinical exam can reveal.

 

[Bamaman]

I can see where a dentist would want a full head shot X ray on a new patient. And bite wing x rays from then on.

But a bunch of x rays are getting into revenue producers. No thanks.

A tooth broken off often requires a dental surgeon to dig out the roots. That's a $1,000 job. Go find other dentists that take your insurance.

 

[freedomatlast]

Ask the dentist how much radiation exposure you will get from each X Ray measured in millisievert (mSv). Chances are he or she won't have a clue. (Mine didn't) Tell him or her when they can answer that question, you will then be able to discuss with them how many X rays you will agree to.

 

[OldShooter]

One of the reasons DW and I switched to the local university dental clinic is our confidence that no one there is financially motivated to sell us anything we don't need. No one there has ever inkled that a huge set of xrays would be a good idea, much less that it would be required. They have taken several xrays in connection with treatment of specific teeth but my guess is that it's been less than a half-dozen in total in three or four years.

 

[audreyh1]

Whenever I’ve switched to a new dentist, they’ve taken a full set of X-rays. In our case time between was usually well over a year due to a move.

 

[Koolau]

Ask the dentist how much radiation exposure you will get from each X Ray measured in millisievert (mSv). Chances are he or she won't have a clue. (Mine didn't) Tell him or her when they can answer that question, you will then be able to discuss with them how many X rays you will agree to.

I think this is a good practice just to keep the dentist "honest." If the dentist does not know this info, s/he should. But realistically, radiation exposure from dental x-rays is probably less than that from a typical airline flight. Certainly a lot less than from a chest x-ray.

I needed a CT recently and was sorta whining to the doc about all the cumulative radiation I had received over a life time. He pointed out that it's less of an issue, the older we get as the damage has less time to manifest morbidity. A comforting thought - I guess.

 

[Irishgirlyc58]

I’ll provide a good reason for a full set of X-rays every so often.
I had a dentist I went to for years- from the time I was a teenager.
He said I only had 3 wisdom teeth and those were pulled when I was in my early 20’s. Apparently pregnancy can make them sprout out.
When I was 40 I went to the dentist I currently have. He took a full set of X-rays. Guess what he found? Yeah, my 4th wisdom tooth sitting up by my sinuses, sideways. [emoji15]
He said no one was going to touch that tooth with a ten foot pole.
He keeps an eye on it and we just discussed it in April during my 6 months check up. He said it hasn’t moved one bit.
Don’t know what happens if it does move and don’t really want to find out but if it does I want to know asap in order to come up with a plan. And I’m guessing lots and lots of money.

 

[Koolau]

I’ll provide a good reason for a full set of X-rays every so often.
I had a dentist I went to for years- from the time I was a teenager.
He said I only had 3 wisdom teeth and those were pulled when I was in my early 20’s. Apparently pregnancy can make them sprout out.
When I was 40 I went to the dentist I currently have. He took a full set of X-rays. Guess what he found? Yeah, my 4th wisdom tooth sitting up by my sinuses, sideways. [emoji15]
He said no one was going to touch that tooth with a ten foot pole.
He keeps an eye on it and we just discussed it in April during my 6 months check up. He said it hasn’t moved one bit.
Don’t know what happens if it does move and don’t really want to find out but if it does I want to know asap in order to come up with a plan. And I’m guessing lots and lots of money.

Probably difficult to find a "dental brain surgeon" even in these days of uber-specialization. Good luck and hope it doesn't grow.

 

[Irishgirlyc58]

Probably difficult to find a "dental brain surgeon" even in these days of uber-specialization. Good luck and hope it doesn't grow.

Exactly! The stuff nightmares are made of.
And thanks.

 

[Mansderm]

I feel like I have posted something related to this before but can't find it.

Our long time dentist quit taking our insurance. I broke a tooth and went to a new dentist (who takes our insurance) who immediately insisted she had to take 22 xrays before she would treat me. I don't like getting a lot of xrays. I left the office without being treated.

I am just going to pay out of pocket and go back to my former dentist. She will only xray the area where the tooth is broken...which I have no problem with.

My husband had a similar experience, except they only wanted to take 17 xrays.

Why are dentist taking so many xrays now?

I would like to know the true incidence of finding a serious problem on XRAY when the patient has no symptoms and the clinical exam is normal. I've been told I could have an abscess, a tumor, a "root" problem. I find it highly unlikely I'd have any of those without some degree of sensitivity, pain, swelling, fever, etc. I'm sure it happens, but is it often enough to warrant yearly x-rays? Especially when your history of visits has shown good oral hygiene and no gum disease. I have arguments with my dentist at each visit. Even at "low dose" I think it borders on excessive.