X Rays At Dentist

[heydude]

Piggy backing on the toothbrush thread, how often do you get X-rays at the dentist?

I dislike that some places want X-rays every 6 months. The longest I have seen dentists want to go is 2 years (they want it every other year).

Honestly, I think that is too much.

If you have a problem, or they have a REASON, then, let us weigh the benefit versus risk.

But I have never had a cavity as an adult and to say my teeth are perfect and then want X-rays, I think is dumb.

Don't get me wrong, my insurance will pay for them 100 percent. But, I don't want the radiation. Sure, it is low radiation. But it is radiation just the same. They say it is less radiation than you get from the earth every year. BUT, why add to it?

They place a lead vest on your chest and then leave the room. That isn't good.

BUT, I have also found that it is complete hell (war almost) to try to tell them no on the X-rays.

[CathyA]

I get them every year or two, but if my teeth seem fine, I'll tell them to forget it.
I hassled with them the entire time my kids were growing up. If there were no obvious problems and my kids were taking good care of their teeth, then I would tell the dentist to not take pics. It always threw them into a spasm though.
And they were always on me to get my kids' teeth coated with that plastic stuff, and I said no to that too. DS is 22 with no fillings yet and DD is 24 with 1 or 2.
People don't realize they can say no to this stuff!

[goldensmom]

I get full mouth x-rays once a year. Although I've heard that it is not necessary that often, my dental insurance pays 100% for yearly x-rays.

[Float On]

No insurance. I refuse the X-Ray unless I think I need one. I love our dentist, he really doesn't do work unless it is necessary.

[CathyA]

goldensmom........don't expose you or your family to unnecessary radiation, just because insurance pays for it.

[iris lily]

I don't have dental insurance and get x-rays 1x annually, as does DH without dental insurance.

Really, it's not that expensive. We just write a check. I do not understand the obsession with dental insurance. It's offered at my work but I turn it down, having run the cost benefit analysis years ago. It doesn't cover much and is pretty much a wash.

[Florence]

I have the x-rays every other year; DH every year. He's had more dental problems than I have so it's probably better for him to do them annually. We do have dental insurance but it really covers only 2 cleanings a year and the annual x-rays.

[ApatheticNoMore]

Yea, I agree with dental insurance being a wash (unless you needed major major dental work maybe) because it never covers the full cost of anything. I've always declined it and paid cash. Honestly, it will cost more for yearly maintenance on your car than your dental bills will, and they aren't selling insurance on that yet! The whole thing seems silly.

They push for x-rays every single year, and what is more they push for very comprehensive x-rays. I have had the x-ray technician tell me when I had submitted and was complaining about having to get x-rays, that I should just get the 12 or whatever and not the 24 or something they were pushing, that those are totally unnecessary, and that they are only pushing that to make money! Yea, let that sink in. That's what the x-ray tech said. I took her her advice. Plus I try to procrastinate the x-rays to every year and a half rather than every year (would procrastinate it to every 2 years or something but boy do they fight you). Of course I think they are overexposing people to radiation for fun and profit. :|(

[razz]

It is poor policy (think 'against the dental standard of practice') to treat the insurance coverage and too many dental offices do just this. It is a real money maker though!

You absolutely do not need full mouth xrays unless you have a rampaging case of periodontal disease or rampant decay.

It is your body and you are in complete control of the level of services received.

If the dental insurance continues to be abused (you are enabling the abuse) as often as it is now, this insurance will simply disappear as an option and you will pay for any dental service on your own. It is in your best interest to decide what is necessary for your dental health as for any other part of your body.

[razz]

For some reason, I had a duplicate post entry

[pinkytoe]

This is actually one of my pet peeves. I don't have dental insurance but have succumbed far too often to the dentist's warning every time I go in that I need x-rays. Every time, he tells me afterwards, "beautiful teeth-keep doing whatever you're doing" so...I won't get them anymore routinely unless there is a problem. I don't ever admit to him though that I never floss and never have.

[kib]

And I have exactly the opposite experience. My little Mexican dentist's office has a state of the art digital xray machine (much lower exposure). It's simple and inexpensive to use and must have cost them a fortune to buy, but they're loathe to use it even in situations where it might be very handy - like DH, who hadn't been for 5 years. Strange.

[ljevtich]

Last year, DH and I went to the dentist for cleaning, x-rays and the works. We do not have dental insurance. It cost $850 for everything, including new fangled x-rays. We will not get x-rays again for a LONG while. It was ridiculous that we should have to pay that much for basically a really good cleaning. kib - where do you go for the dentist? I am now in Arizona (Grand Canyon) and it would be good to know of a better dentist that does not charge an arm and a leg.
Thanks!

[creaker]

I think my dentist does bitewings (x-rays of back molars) maybe once a year. I had a full set done the last time I went, hadn't done a full set in years.

I have a couple of spots they watch, they can compare the x-rays for any changes.

[CathyA]

I guess I understand a few xrays for kids, who have teeth underneath that might be developing sideways, or whatever. But for adults, if you take care of your teeth and don't constantly have cavities, I see no reason for them. Its just another way to make money off people. I think Americans are too much into "preventative medicine". Don't get me wrong. I think its real important. But it seems like businesses take advantage of "preventative medicine" and just take it too far, in order to make money or just be overly-cautious.