Health Tip: X-Rays at the Dentist

What they can help detect

(HealthDay News) -- Healthy teeth require more than good dental hygiene and regular cleanings. Dental X-rays can show potential abnormalities that your dentist couldn't otherwise see, indicating how healthy your teeth really are.

Here's a list of what dental X-rays can be used to identify, courtesy of the U.S. National Library of Medicine:

• The number, size and position of all teeth.
• Teeth that are impacted or those that haven't emerged.
• Cavities.
• Damage to the bones surrounding the teeth.
• Abscesses.
• Fractures in the jaw.
• Other abnormalities of the teeth or jaw.

-- Diana Kohnle

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Last updated 5/6/2008.

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