X-ray images, also called dental radiographs, are among the most valuable tools a dentist has for keeping your mouth and teeth healthy.

For adults, radiographs can:

• Show areas of decay that your dentist may not be able to see with just a visual examination, such as tiny pits of decay between teeth
• Find decay underneath a filling
• Find cracks or other damage in a filling
• Alert the dentist to possible bone loss associated with periodontal (gum) disease
• Reveal problems in the root canal of a tooth, such as infection or death of the nerve
• Help your dentist plan, prepare and place tooth tooth implants, orthodontic treatments, dentures or other dental work
• Reveal other abnormalities, such as cysts, cancer or changes associated with metabolic and systemic diseases

For children, radiographs are used to find decay and to monitor tooth growth and development. Dentists will use periodic X-rays to see whether:

• The space in the mouth is big enough to fit all the new teeth
• Permanent teeth are developing and coming in properly
• Extra (supernumerary) teeth are developing or whether any teeth are impacted (unable to emerge through the gums).

Often, major problems can be prevented by catching small developmental problems early.