Dental X-Rays: Benefits & Safety

Dental radiographs (most often called x-rays) are an important part of your dental care. Along with an oral examination, they provide your dentist with a more complete view of what’s happening in your mouth.

X-rays tend to have a negative stigma because the patient is exposed to radiation. However, it's important to keep in mind that it is a very minimal amount of radiation, and x-rays are taken to benefit you and your overall health!

Benefits of Dental X-Rays

A dental x-ray gives your dentist a picture of your hard tissues (teeth and bones) and the soft tissues that surround your teeth and jawbones. For example, dental x-rays may help your dentist see:

• cavities & decay that develops between the teeth or under restorations (fillings)
• diseases in the bone
• periodontal (gum) disease
• infections that develop under your gums
• some types of tumors

Dental x-rays can alert your dentist to changes in your hard and soft tissues. In children, x-rays allow the dentist to see how their teeth and jawbones are developing. Like medical x-rays, dental x-rays allow your dentist to evaluate any injuries to your face and mouth. Dental x-rays can help your dentist identify diseases and developmental problems before they become serious health issues. Early detection of an infection or injury also can limit or prevent further damage to other areas of the mouth.

          

      

Safety of Dental X-Rays

Some people wonder if dental x-rays are safe because they expose the patient to radiation. Several factors and practices work together to make dental x-rays safe. The amount of radiation used to obtain dental x-ray is very small. For example, bitewing x-rays—two to four images of the back teeth -- expose a patient to about 0.005 millisieverts (mSv) of radiation (a millisievert is a unit of measure). By comparison, because radiation is part of our environment, people in the United States are exposed, on average, to 3.2 mSv every year from background sources of radiation. Dentists follow the ALARA principle, which stands for “As Low As Reasonably Achievable,” when obtaining x-rays. This radiation safety principle limits your exposure by incorporating the following techniques:

• use of the fastest image receptor (that is, the fastest film speed or digital speed)
• reduction in the size of the x-ray beam to the size of the image receptor whenever possible
• use of proper exposure and processing techniques
• use of leaded aprons and when possible, thyroid collars (shields organs from radiation exposure; thyroid collar shields thyroid gland)

If you are seeing a new dentist, be sure to provide him or her with copies of your existing x-rays to avoid duplicating them. This also will help limit your exposure to radiation.

Your dentist will decide when x-rays are needed on the basis of your oral examination findings, any symptoms you report, a review of your health history, your risk of experiencing oral disease, your age, or any combination of the preceding. Because of the low radiation dose associated with dental radiographs, people who have received radiation treatment for head and neck cancer can undergo dental radiography safely. In fact, head and neck radiation treatment can increase the risk of developing tooth decay, making the x-rays all the more important for these patients.

If you are pregnant, tell your dentist. During your pregnancy, you may need to have x-rays taken as part of your treatment plan for a dental disease that requires immediate attention. Use of the leaded apron and collar will protect you and your fetus from radiation exposure.

Mortenson Family Dental has DIGITAL X-RAYS!

Why digital x-rays  better: The digital dental X-ray system is more sensitive than dental X-ray film systems, so your exposure to radiation is significantly reduced, in many cases by as much as 90 percent. The large, color-enhanced images let you see what your dentist sees, so it’s easier for you to understand how your dentist will treat your teeth. There is no use of photo chemicals, film, processing or film storage making digital x-rays more efficient and less harmful to the environment. Dental checkups take less time and are more educational! Most patients are amazed.

See how amazingly clear and large this x-ray is? Woohoo - we can see EVERYTHING and keep your smile as healthy as can be!

Post Credits.

CONGRATS STEVE!

Steve James (left) accepting his DeSales Hall of Honors Award  from DeSales President, Doug Strothman.

We are so proud to share great news with you! 

Mortenson Family Dental's CFO, Steve James, was inducted into the DeSales High School Hall of Honors last Tuesday night.

The designation of “Hall of Honors Inductee” is the highest distinction bestowed by DeSales High School. Members of the Hall of Honors have distinguished themselves and DeSales through their outstanding accomplishments, character, or commitment to DeSales.  

The DeSales Hall of Honors was established in 1992.  Since then, thirty-eight DeSales alumni and former faculty/staff members have been named to this prestigious group.

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Get to know what a wonderful person Steve is by reading his fantastic acceptance speech, focusing on  optimism and greatness, below: 

Speech delivered by Steve James, Chief Financial Officer for Mortenson Family Dental, in Louisville, KY on the occasion of the DeSales High School Hall of Honors Award Dinner  - August 16, 2011

"First off I want to thank the committee and the leadership of DeSales High School for bestowing me with this wonderful honor.  This is the Highest Distinction bestowed to a DeSales graduate; only 41 people prior have been honored out of over 5,000 alumnus.  WOW!   But what is it I have done to receive such an honor?

I was a good student here Class of 1982; 11/1/56, but not the best, no major scholarships offered when I graduated. I was an OK athlete, a basketball player for 4 years.  I think I averaged 6 p.p.g. my senior year on a team that went 4-19 (not the best).

I must say, however, I was a very good grade school baseball player. In fact, if there was a Baseball Hall of Fame I am sure I would be in it (St. Thomas More 1978).

So, it is clear that I was not inducted for my academic or athletic prowess.  

I have had some success in recent years, but nothing of fame or fortune to note. So, what is it that I am honored for?  I have given a lot of thought to this and I believe more than anything else this is an affirmation of who I am and what is uniquely me.

 

I am pleased and proud to say that I am a card carrying optimist.What does it mean to be an optimist? Webster’s Dictionary defines “Optimism” as hopefulness and confidence about the future or successful outcome of something.  My definition would be the best combination of FAITH and HOPE and LOVE.   Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope, confidence and love (Helen Keller)

To nurture optimism is to nurture hope, altruism, and inner strength. True optimists will persevere in the face of all obstacles and hardships.  Optimists assume good things are permanent and pervade in every area of their lives, but assume bad things are only temporary and isolated to their context. We optimists want the world to be better place.

In my career, it has been my desire to contribute to a better world by making a great health care company that is grounded in its desire to help it patients achieve better dental health and its employees a better life. Mortenson Family Dental fulfills that objective for me.  

At DeSales, my desire has been to cultivate a brotherhood of young men that desired a faith-based education. This was originally supported by my sons needs here but shortly thereafter, I was inspired by the commitment of the leadership and alumni that wanted it for generations to come.

Optimists value and need strong relationships and moreover we need to be inspired by the greatness our relationships bring. To that end, I want recognize and thank a few of the many that have inspired me with their greatness. 

I first want to thank my MOM and DAD together; their love for each over is the greatest romance I have ever witnessed.  It is the standard by which I measure and aspire for my marriage.

Separately I want thank my MOM for giving me the gift of optimism; short of me there is no person in this world more optimistic than my Mom.

DAD, you give me the gift of a work ethic and the value of always doing what is right.  You can’t be a great optimist and be lazy or be wrong-minded.  I always tell my kids I am forever and I have you to thank for that.

I also want to thank my brother BRIAN. His sacrifice and his courage for his family and country is simply inspirational to me.  At 35 years old he enlisted in the Navy to serve our country.  Since then he has had 2 deployments to Iraq in service of our country.     

My kids, BRANDON, ZACHARY and SAMANTHA:

All my kids were/are outstanding student athletes who participated in college athletics; my two oldest, Brandon and Zachary are going to be doctors (dentists) and my daughter Sam will graduate this year with honors from Campbellsville University.  More importantly they are great people that will be exceptionally successful in life.  I like them for the adults they have become and love them for who they are.  

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my daughter-in-law, SARAH.  She is the strength of my family; when my wife had a stroke a couple of years ago, she cared for all of us.  Also, she is carrying two very important packages, my grandbabies (twins!)  COLT 1 and COLT 2.

I want to thank my MORTENSON FAMILY. I am privileged to work with great people.  We love what we do.

I especially want to thank DR.O. WAYNE MORTENSON, my mentor and an optimist like myself.  His entrepreneurial spirit, big thinking and willingness to let me and my peers at Mortenson be inspired and empowered, has led to building a small, single-office dental practice into one of the fastest growing and largest employee owned dental groups in America.  I am fortunate; in 1996 he introduced me to my vision of my perfect job. 

I want to thank my DeSALES FAMILY.

In 2004, we took over the school from the Arch with well less than 300 students, a $2,000,000 debt, an outdated facility, and a prevailing attitude of we are 2^nd best. Today we boast of 5 straight years of growth now with 330 students and 7 straight years of financial success and surpluses.

In particular, I want to thank the late Tim Keogh; his optimism, supported by his overwhelming faith in God got us started; and more recently Doug Strothman, his vision and drive has generated a rebirth at DeSales

There are so many others:

All MY FRIENDS, especially my life long com padre, TIM CROOK.

Dr. WILL ENGILMAN, the smartest man I know and a closet optimist; he helped me become a reformed optimist rather than a blind optimist. 

STEVE GOODMAN 

My sisters, - JENNIFER TRIPLETT, BETHE LOVINS, and VERA JAMES.

My mother-in- law, MARIE KING and my late father-in-law, JIM KING.

FATHER MIKE GREENWELL, who introduced me to accounting as a profession.

The Carmelite Priest led by FATHER FARRELL KANE; they introduced me to a much bigger world with possibilities than simply my vision of South Louisville

Most importantly, I want to thank my wife MARY ANN; She has inspired me to the greatest moment of optimism for me since the first time I met her some 32 years ago. I told my friend Matt Hammond before I even met her, “That is the woman I am going to marry”; after 28 years of marriage I still love her just as much as the first time I saw her.  She is the reason why I get up each morning.

I want to close by telling you WHAT I BELIEVE:

• I believe in giving 100% when you only have 80%.
•  I believe in being polite to anyone and everyone, including yourself.  If you can’t be nice to yourself who can you be nice to?
• I believe in taking chances and making mistakes.
• I believe in telling people I love them over and over again.
• I believe in miracles and random acts of kindness.
• I believe in second chances.
• I believe that everyone is lucky to be alive..

On behalf of all optimists in the world, it is with great pleasure and honor that I accept the Hall of Honors induction.

THANK YOU"

 CONGRATS STEVE! You deserve it! We appreciate and thank you for all that you do!