What Your Child Can Expect During Dental X-Rays
Posted on October 24, 2023
Visiting a pediatric dentist is a big experience for young children. For some, it will be exciting, and they’ll look forward to it, while others may be shy and otherwise hold some anxious feelings about an upcoming visit. Dental X-rays can be a particularly daunting experience for children, even for those who enjoy new experiences.
The best way to reduce those anxious feelings is to prepare your child for the big event. Consider the following easy steps you can take to talk to your child about what to expect during dental X-rays at their pediatric dentist’s office.
1. The Safety Talk
Medical procedures are designed to help us better understand the human body, diagnose problems, and work to treat them so as to ensure patients enjoy healthier, happier lives. However, there is always some risk to any procedure, and with dental X-rays, that risk takes the form of radiation. The good news is that modern X-ray equipment and safety measures like lead aprons and thyroid collars work to nearly eliminate any risk of radiation to patients.
So, the first thing your child can expect during a dental X-ray procedure is a quick safety conversation with the dentist or dental technician. Then, your child will be outfitted with the correct protective measures.
2. The Machine
After your child is settled into the dental chair with the correct protective gear, the dentist or dental technician will position the X-ray machine in place. This machine has to be carefully positioned and they will ask your child to hold as still as possible so as to get the best imaging. Then, they’ll press a few buttons, and the X-rays will be taken. This process goes by really fast!
3. The Review
Finally, it’s review time! The last step of your child’s dental X-ray journey is the review of their X-rays. These images can be developed very quickly and made for immediate review to help you and the pediatric dental team determine the best course for your child’s oral health. This can help avoid sudden dental emergencies since, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 34 million school hours are lost each year because of dental emergencies, and we want to avoid that!
Dental X-rays are a quick, painless procedure that can provide insight to the oral health of the patient. They can be especially important for young children as dental X-rays can help map out how a child’s teeth are growing. Learn more by talking to our pediatric dentist today!
