Bringing film to dentist

[Pablito]

From what I have read, you get a lot more radiation from an airplane flight (cosmic radiation) than from a dental x-ray.

Don't ask where I read it, or how long the flight!

 

[Richard G]

well my dentist puts a heavy lead blanket over my chest, protection glasses over her eyes then runs OUT of the surgery to push a button? always wondered about this.

Medical X-Ray exposure of staff is carefully regulated. What to the patient or parent might be negligible exposure at an annual visit, would potentially be cumulatively significant to staff exposed throughout every working day.

 

[Richard G]

It is one very important nerve* that would worry me about the 18 X rays, not the radiation exposure.


* The hip pocket nerve.

 

[ChrisN]

... I wonder if 3D CT would not be easier and faster in this case ?

I had one of those done in preparation for an implant. I was amazed at the detail and the way the 3D image could be rotated to change the viewpoint. The surgeon could really see what he was working with - brilliant use of technology that allowed him to avoid damaging nerve channels in the bone.

well my dentist puts a heavy lead blanket over my chest, protection glasses over her eyes then runs OUT of the surgery to push a button? always wondered about this.

Radiation damage is cumulative, isn't it? If I had to do hundreds of xrays a year (as operator) I'd be running for cover too. Sensible precautions for both the patient and the operator.

 

[pakeha]

Medical X-Ray exposure of staff is carefully regulated. What to the patient or parent might be negligible exposure at an annual visit, would potentially be cumulatively significant to staff exposed throughout every working day.

Radiation damage is cumulative, isn't it? If I had to do hundreds of xrays a year (as operator) I'd be running for cover too. Sensible precautions for both the patient and the operator.

I know guys, was an old joke

 

[sevo]

One more thing: In these days of safe exposure limits for patient and operators, X-ray intensities are as low as feasible, and X-ray film is sandwiched with intensifiers to be able to record any image at all under these restrictions. The effect of X-rays on regular film would be too low to record as a usable image even if you'd put it where the dentist's film was placed.