What is radiology?

Radiology refers to all medical imaging techniques that use X-rays and other radiation for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes.

Contrary to what many people think, it is not limited to conventional radiology, i.e. X-rays (or standard radiography). It also covers medical imaging using ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (scanner, MRI, etc.) and interventional radiology, which is the set of invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed by the radiologist.

In dentistry, X-rays allow the visualization of areas inaccessible to the naked eye. It is used both for the general control of your mouth (prevention) and in very specific situations such as a wisdom tooth extraction or a root canal treatment, to mention just two examples.

What are the different types of dental radiological treatments?

There are several types of X-rays and these are the three most commonly used in dentistry:

How is a dental X-ray performed?

In most cases, there is no special preparation. You can eat and drink normally before the examination. It is painless and does not require any anaesthetic.

The dentist places a piece of plastic in your mouth and asks you to bite down on it. Usually, several x-rays are taken to identify problems in different parts of the mouth.

A panoramic X-ray, which creates a single image of the entire mouth, is an extra-oral examination, meaning that the imaging device and film are outside the mouth. A panoramic X-ray machine projects a beam through the mouth onto a film or detector, which rotates in the opposite direction to the X-ray tube.

What are the risks during the consultation?

Although it is absolutely painless, the X-ray examination is nonetheless subject to certain precautions. Because of their irradiating nature, X-rays are not without potential health risks.

Nevertheless, the radiation doses received during an X-ray examination are low and do not present a risk in themselves, but it is the repetition of these examinations that is problematic. For this reason, patients who have to undergo many medical imaging examinations are referred to methods that use ultrasound (ultrasound) or magnetic waves (MRI). In addition, women that are pregnant or breastfeeding may be advised to avoid X-rays.

At Turó Park clinic in Barcelona, access the latest advances in dental radiology

Always at the forefront of innovation, Turó Park Medical and Dental Center in Barcelona is equipped with the latest radiology equipment.

Specifically to dental imaging, the clinic is equipped with an Orthophos S 3D cone beam, which uses a cone-shaped radiation beam. Halfway between a dental panorama and a CT scan, this device offers new opportunities for dental examinations. It has the advantage of being more accurate than a dental panoramic and offers the possibility of a digital 3D reconstruction. In addition, not only does it allow the entire volume to be scanned in a single pass, but it also gives the possibility of focusing the examination solely on the area to be studied, which makes it much less irradiating than other instruments.