Dentistry - Full-Mouth X-Rays

Author

Full-Mouth X-Rays - How Often?

John K.

2006-04-10, 6:12 pm

I'd like a considered opinion on how often you should have full-mouth X-rays,
especially if one has had numerous root canals in the past.

In my case, it was coming up on 5 years and an infection was discovered along
side #4, an endo-tooth, treated back in 1989. I have had no symptoms to
report, except those of a healing root canal which lasted about 3 months.
I've been chewing on it, unaware of any problem; nothing showed up on the X-
rays of 12/2000.

I'm scheduled for surgery next week.

Is 5 years the norm, or is it one of those "it depends" situations? The area
of infection looked large enough to me, but the endodontist claimed it is not
an emergency... yet. That was back in January.

I think I need to be better prepared in the future. :-)

--
john

Mark & Steven Bornfeld

2006-04-11, 1:06 am

John K. wrote:

> I'd like a considered opinion on how often you should have full-mouth X-rays,
> especially if one has had numerous root canals in the past.
>
> In my case, it was coming up on 5 years and an infection was discovered along
> side #4, an endo-tooth, treated back in 1989. I have had no symptoms to
> report, except those of a healing root canal which lasted about 3 months.
> I've been chewing on it, unaware of any problem; nothing showed up on the X-
> rays of 12/2000.
>
> I'm scheduled for surgery next week.
>
> Is 5 years the norm, or is it one of those "it depends" situations? The area
> of infection looked large enough to me, but the endodontist claimed it is not
> an emergency... yet. That was back in January.
>
> I think I need to be better prepared in the future. :-)
>

It's one of those "it depends" situations. Generally, the greater the
quantity and complexity of dental treatment a patient has had in the
past, the more likely something will crop up that will show up on a full
series of x-rays. Root canal failures are one of the events;
periodontal breakdown is another.
Many root canal failures present on x-ray as a dark area surrounding
one or more roots. Sometimes there will be a gum boil, sometimes not.
Perhaps not intuitively, some of these teeth with large dark areas are
less likely to turn into an acute toothache, because there is no bone
overlying the root and if the infection flares it will drain through the
gum, rather than building up pressure within the bone.
Good that you're dealing with the situation. These kinds of things
happen; don't know how you'd prepare better, except to understand that
these things happen and get checked periodically.

Steve

--
Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS
http://www.dentaltwins.com
Brooklyn, NY
718-258-5001

Packrat®

2006-04-11, 1:06 am

Mark & Steven Bornfeld <bornfeldmung@dentaltwins.com> wrote in
news:M7C_f.2538$hf2.775@trndny05:

> John K. wrote:
>
>
> It's one of those "it depends" situations. Generally, the greater
> the
> quantity and complexity of dental treatment a patient has had in the
> past, the more likely something will crop up that will show up on a full
> series of x-rays. Root canal failures are one of the events;
> periodontal breakdown is another.
> Many root canal failures present on x-ray as a dark area
> surrounding
> one or more roots. Sometimes there will be a gum boil, sometimes not.
> Perhaps not intuitively, some of these teeth with large dark areas are
> less likely to turn into an acute toothache, because there is no bone
> overlying the root and if the infection flares it will drain through the
> gum, rather than building up pressure within the bone.
> Good that you're dealing with the situation. These kinds of things
> happen; don't know how you'd prepare better, except to understand that
> these things happen and get checked periodically.
>
> Steve
>
Steve, thanks for the follow-up. I wondered about the size and why there
was no pain. From what I remember, it was a rather large "teardrop" shaped
area, distal(?) from the tooth itself. The narrow top portion appeared to
be touching the root at an angle, like a baloon hanging down on the right
side toward #3. No gum abscess is present. My regular dentist told me it
would probably take 6 months for the bone to grow back. (ouch!) No one is
talking about antibiotics - I would assume they'd be necessary after the
Apico..(?) I think I would welcome them at this point. <g>

Thanks again.

--
john

Steven Bornfeld

2006-04-11, 1:06 am

Packrat® wrote:
> Mark & Steven Bornfeld <bornfeldmung@dentaltwins.com> wrote in
> news:M7C_f.2538$hf2.775@trndny05:
>
>
>
> Steve, thanks for the follow-up. I wondered about the size and why there
> was no pain. From what I remember, it was a rather large "teardrop" shaped
> area, distal(?) from the tooth itself. The narrow top portion appeared to
> be touching the root at an angle, like a baloon hanging down on the right
> side toward #3. No gum abscess is present. My regular dentist told me it
> would probably take 6 months for the bone to grow back. (ouch!) No one is
> talking about antibiotics - I would assume they'd be necessary after the
> Apico..(?) I think I would welcome them at this point. <g>
>
> Thanks again.
>

My guess (only a guess) is that you will be on antibiotics for a week
or so after the surgery. Yes, the bone takes a long time to grow back,
but the infection presumably will be gone shortly after the surgery--the
bone just takes time to grow.

Steve

John K.

2006-04-11, 1:06 am

Steven Bornfeld <dentaltwinmung@earthlink.net> wrote in
news:443B168D.3060907@earthlink.net:
<snip>
>
> My guess (only a guess) is that you will be on antibiotics for a
> week or so after the surgery. Yes, the bone takes a long time to
> grow back, but the infection presumably will be gone shortly after the
> surgery--the bone just takes time to grow.
>
> Steve
>
>
Got it! :-)

--
john

Joel344

2006-04-12, 1:04 am

Depends but in general its no problemo. We expose
at 0.3 seconds ..... years ago it was 3.0 seconds!

Joel

John K. Wrote:
> I'd like a considered opinion on how often you should have full-mouth
> X-rays,
> especially if one has had numerous root canals in the past.
>
> In my case, it was coming up on 5 years and an infection was discovered
> along
> side #4, an endo-tooth, treated back in 1989. I have had no symptoms
> to
> report, except those of a healing root canal which lasted about 3
> months.
> I've been chewing on it, unaware of any problem; nothing showed up on
> the X-
> rays of 12/2000.
>
> I'm scheduled for surgery next week.
>
> Is 5 years the norm, or is it one of those "it depends" situations?
> The area
> of infection looked large enough to me, but the endodontist claimed it
> is not
> an emergency... yet. That was back in January.
>
> I think I need to be better prepared in the future. :-)
>
> --
> john

--
Joel344
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Packrat®

2006-04-12, 11:09 am

Joel344 <joeleichen@yahoo.com> wrote in news:Joel344.264pk2@dentalcom.net:

>
> Depends but in general its no problemo. We expose
> at 0.3 seconds ..... years ago it was 3.0 seconds!
>
> Joel
>
Yes, I am aware of the exposure times - thanks - but it was not my concern.

All things considered, I would rather have them more often, especially if
there is/has been extensive endo-therapy, and 5 years seems a bit long.
I'm looking to shorten that to a max of 3!

--
john

Mark & Steven Bornfeld

2006-04-12, 11:09 am

Packrat® wrote:
> Joel344 <joeleichen@yahoo.com> wrote in news:Joel344.264pk2@dentalcom.net:
>
>
>
> Yes, I am aware of the exposure times - thanks - but it was not my concern.
>
> All things considered, I would rather have them more often, especially if
> there is/has been extensive endo-therapy, and 5 years seems a bit long.
> I'm looking to shorten that to a max of 3!
>

This seems to be the default interval of periodontists (3 years).
Whether there should be a "default" interval is another story entirely.
In any case, I wouldn't consider it unusual if things aren't well
controlled (caries, perio, etc.).

Steve

--
Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS
http://www.dentaltwins.com
Brooklyn, NY
718-258-5001

Joel344

2006-04-13, 1:04 am

We agree .... in fact every other year is okay too.

Joel

Packrat? Wrote:
> Joel344 <joeleichen@yahoo.com> wrote in
> news:Joel344.264pk2@dentalcom.net:
>
> Yes, I am aware of the exposure times - thanks - but it was not my
> concern.
>
> All things considered, I would rather have them more often, especially
> if
> there is/has been extensive endo-therapy, and 5 years seems a bit
> long.
> I'm looking to shorten that to a max of 3!
>
> --
> john

--
Joel344
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