Detailed dental images without waiting for film to develop.

Digital radiographs are dental X-rays captured electronically.

Instead of recording an image on traditional film, a digital sensor or imaging plate captures the X-ray and sends it to a computer. The dental team can enlarge the image, adjust how it is displayed, compare it with earlier records, and share it when another provider is involved in care.

The technology changes how an image is recorded and reviewed; it does not change the need to justify each X-ray. Imaging should be selected after considering the clinical examination, symptoms, oral-health history, age, and risk for disease.

What digital images can help evaluate

• Decay between teeth or beneath existing restorations
• Bone levels and signs of periodontal disease
• Tooth roots, developing teeth, and tooth position
• Injury, infection, or other changes that require a closer look

What to expect

For an intraoral image, a small sensor or plate is positioned in the mouth while the X-ray is taken. Different views are used for different questions—for example, bitewing images can show the crowns of upper and lower teeth, while a periapical image includes the root and surrounding bone.

Tell the team if you have a sensitive gag reflex, difficulty holding a sensor, or questions about why an image is being recommended. The team can explain what information the selected view is expected to provide.