Dental X-rays
Low-dose digital images that show decay, infection and bone loss long before any of it is visible or sore.
Safe & Quick
A very small dose, over in seconds.
Early Detection
Found before it starts hurting.
Painless
Nothing to feel, nothing to recover from.
Expert Diagnosis
Treatment planned on evidence.
Due for dental X-rays?
£10 each, and routine x-rays are included for Dental Care Plan members.
Seeing what an examination cannot
X-rays are a quiet but essential part of looking after a mouth. At Orford Hill we use fast, low-dose intraoral X-rays to find problems early — usually well before you would notice anything yourself — so that small issues can be dealt with while they are still small.
What they show
An examination tells us a great deal, but roughly a third of each tooth is hidden — the surfaces where teeth touch, and everything below the gum. Decay starts in exactly those places.
X-rays show what is happening under and between the teeth: early decay, bone levels, infection at a root tip, and the position of teeth that have not come through yet.
The types we take
Bitewing X-Rays
The standard check-up x-ray, showing the crowns of upper and lower teeth together on one image.
- Finds decay between teeth, where it always starts
- Taken periodically at check-ups
- Shows the bone level, which is how gum disease is tracked
Periapical X-Rays
A close view of one or two teeth, showing the whole thing from crown to the very tip of the root.
- Shows the entire tooth including the root
- How we diagnose an abscess at the root tip
- Essential before and during root canal treatment
Occlusal X-Rays
A wider view taking in a whole upper or lower arch at once.
- Covers the full arch in one image
- Shows unerupted or extra teeth, common in children
- Picks up cysts and other changes in the bone
Why they are worth taking
- Decay found small is a filling; decay found late is a crown or a root canal.
- No treatment plan is worth much without knowing what is under the gum.
- Digital sensors need a fraction of the dose old film did, and the image is on screen instantly.
- Nothing to feel, and nothing to recover from.
Are they safe?
Yes. We follow strict radiography guidelines to keep exposure as low as it reasonably can be. A standard dental X-ray gives you less radiation than a short flight.
We only take them when there is a clinical reason to, whether that is your first visit, a routine check-up or a follow-up part-way through treatment.
How often
It depends on your age, your history and how much decay you have had. Broadly:
- Children — more often, because teeth are changing and decay moves faster through them
- Adults with a stable mouth — every one to two years
- Higher risk, including smokers and anyone with gum disease — more frequently
We will always tell you why an x-ray is being taken. If you would rather not have one, say so and we will explain what we would be working without.