Dentists are praising the ADA's new x-ray recommendations, saying routine x-rays for patients are often unnecessary.
In November, the ADA released updated recommendations for the prescription of dental radiographic exams. The ADA stressed that dentists remain in the best position to make decisions on whether to prescribe x-rays after an oral exam or after considering a patient's health history.
The changes include updates to patient-shielding recommendations, a new section on how to limit radiation exposure during radiographic examinations, and new guidance on topics such as handheld x-ray units.
For example, patients in their 20s who get routine dental care and show no signs of caries probably could go five years between x-rays, according to Paul Casamassimo, DDS, chief of dentistry at Nationwide Children's Hospital and a professor at Ohio State University College of Dentistry.
Angelo Mariotti, DDS, a Columbus, OH, dentist and president of the Columbus Dental Society, told the Columbus Dispatch that technology has enabled dentists to reduce radiation dosage but that x-rays remain the best way to find caries.
