An oral examination is not enough for dentists to get a true sense of your dental health. While it may not seem obvious, but we can’t see below your gum line and there is a significant amount of your tooth and activity below the gum line. Dentists must be able to see if there are any worrisome conditions that are obstructed from their view, such as hidden tooth decay, impacted/extra teeth, bone loss from gum disease and/or the growth of any abscesses, cysts or tumors.
As a note to patient, it’s malpractice and beneath the standard of care to not take x-rays.
That’s where imaging technology comes in. It allows professionals to get more clear and comprehensive pictures of teeth, tissue, nerves and bone inside the mouth. While this may sound a little sarcastic or bitter because we are dentists and sometimes not thought to be real doctors, but you don’t tell your physician “no, I don’t want an x-ray” to diagnose your body. These images are studied, stored and compared over time to track improvements or identify worsening conditions.
Dental imaging is necessary because it gives dentists a better chance of detecting problem areas early for more accurate diagnoses. It also allows them to better educate patients because they can share the images, point to specific areas of concern and show why it’s important to adhere to treatment recommendations.
So please, don’t give our dentist and our staff a hard time for trying to properly treat you. It really is in your own best interest, honest.
Novy Scheinfeld, DDS, PC
ZoAnna Scheinfeld, MS, DMD
Hanna Orland, DMD
290 Carpenter Drive, 200A
Sandy Springs, GA 30328
404-256-3620
And
3781 Chamblee Dunwoody Road
Chamblee, GA 30341
770-455-6076
the right smile 