Finding the right tests…
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Finding the right tests…
X-Ray
DENTAL 1 is a single periapical film taken with a small sensor placed inside your mouth, positioned to catch one tooth, or a pair of neighbouring teeth, from crown to root tip. It picks up the bone around the root, which a visual check cannot show. Dentists order it to look closely at one tooth that hurts, feels loose, or shows a cavity on exam, rather than to screen your whole mouth at once. The image also shows the bone level next to that tooth, useful for spotting an abscess or early bone loss around the root. The narrow focus means the picture comes out sharp enough to catch fine detail like a root crack or a filling's tip.
The film covers one tooth, or two neighbouring teeth, in full length, from the crown down to the root tip and the bone around it. Your dentist reads it for cavities, root shape, bone level, and any dark area at the root tip that could mean infection. It does not show other teeth outside the frame.
A periapical film works like a close-up look at a single tooth. The sensor sits inside your mouth, behind the tooth being checked, and the X-ray source outside your cheek sends a beam through the tooth onto it. What comes back is a full picture of that tooth's crown, root, and the bone holding it in place.
Your dentist orders DENTAL 1 when a symptom points to one specific tooth, for example pain when biting, a visible chip, or a cavity that needs its depth checked before treatment. Because only one area is captured, the resulting image is sharper than a wider film covering many teeth at once.
- It can show a cavity below the gumline, a cracked root, or bone loss next to one tooth - It can help confirm whether a root canal filling reaches the tip of the root - It cannot tell you about teeth outside the frame, or about the jaw joint or sinuses - It does not replace a full mouth series if several teeth need checking
Ask your dentist which tooth the film is centred on and what they are checking for before the film is taken.
DENTAL 1 covers just one tooth, or two neighbouring teeth, while a full mouth series covers your entire set of teeth across many films. Your dentist orders DENTAL 1 when only one area needs a close look.
Yes, cavities that form between teeth or below the gumline often show up on a periapical film before they are visible on exam. Your dentist reads the film alongside a physical check of the tooth.
It can feel a little uncomfortable for a few seconds, especially near the back of the mouth, but it is not painful. Tell the technologist if a particular spot bothers you and they can adjust the position.
Yes, periapical films are commonly used in children when a specific tooth needs checking. Ask your dentist about the precautions used for a child's smaller mouth and radiation needs.
This page is general information about the test, not medical advice. Your own report's reference ranges apply — please discuss your results with your doctor.
You may be asked to remove piercings, glasses, or a removable dental appliance near the area being imaged. The technologist will confirm exactly what needs to come off.
Tell your dentist and the technologist if you are or might be pregnant before the film is taken. A lead apron is typically used, and your dentist will confirm whether the X-ray can wait.
If the concern is limited to a single tooth, one film is often enough to answer the question. Your dentist decides the number of films based on what they need to see.