Dental X-rays

Jaw X-ray, Teeth X-ray, X-ray, Dental

How It Is Done

Dental X-rays are taken in the dentist's office. The X-ray pictures are read by your dentist.

• A dental technician will cover you with a heavy lead apron as you sit upright in a chair. This apron shields your body from X-rays. Modern lead aprons have a collar (called a thyroid shield) to shield the thyroid gland from radiation.
• Everyone else in the room wears a protective apron or stays behind a protective shield.
• The dental technician will have you bite down on a small piece of cardboard or plastic. The cardboard or plastic holds X-ray film. You may do this several times to get pictures of all your teeth.
• You may want to rinse your mouth before and after the X-rays.

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Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS	Last Updated: December 1, 2006
Medical Review:	Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine Arden Christen, DDS, MSD, MA, FACD - Dentistry Steven K. Patterson, BSc, DDS, MPH - Dentist
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