I had a dental x-ray two years after being diagnosed. All looked good. I did not want additional radiation after having a maximum dose. Since my teeth looked good at my regular 6 month appt, and I had no complaints or symptoms, I did not have another xray until four years later when I had a slight ache. BIG MISTAKE!
I have endured so much discomfort because I did not know that a problem was brewing. I ended up needing a root canal, an extraction, a new bridge....and it all may have been avoided if we knew a cavity had started.
The benefits of a dental xray every other year outweigh the minute bit of additional radiaiton.

Eva

There is also a new digital "filmless" dental X-Ray system that is very popular, that only uses 1/10th the radiation of conventional dental X-rays. Another advantage of it is that they can blow the image up to huge sizes on their computer monitors to look at things in very fine detail, and email the X-ray to another doctor across town who you might be referred to. This is so little radiation that it should never be an issue, even to those of use that have had 7cgy of radiation or more during treatment. Where you need to look at lifetime accumulative doses, are in all the follow up CT's and PET's. That adds up over time as well. Radiation dosage is systemic and for life... But in the end I'd personally rather know that I was having a problem early, than not get the radiation and catch things late when successful treatment wasn't possible. About 3% of those radiated for oral cancer get osteosarcomas in their mandible or facial bones around year 10... not something pleasant to think about, but the percentage is low, and hey...I'd didn't think I'd be here for two years let alone ten!!!

Eva,

You have stated what I have been telling my patients for almost 35 years about the low risk of dental x-rays. With proper positioning of the patient, calibrated machines, use of lead aprons and thyroid collars, exposure is minimal.

There is no set interval for taking x-rays for every patient. The guidelines, however are:

1. Full sets every 3-5 years.
2. Bitewings every 6-18 months.

These are just guidelines and the interval should be based upon the patient's past history of problems.

As far as digital x-rays are concerned, in my opinion the quality of the pictures are improving as we speak, but they are not as good as regular radiographs in showing detail and are much harder to see subtle changes.

Jerry