Dr. Faryl Hart’s office uses all digital x-rays in her office. Not only is more information acquired using digital radiography but with much less radiation. It is understandable to be concerned about radiation exposure so you must decide for yourself whether the benefits outweigh the risks of radiation exposure.
The following list compares dental digital x-rays compared to other natural sources and medical diagnostic x-rays:
USv (units of radiation)
0.2 – Single digital dental x-ray pa or bw view
1.4 – Digital x-ray bitewing series of 7 separate views
3.6 – Full mouth digital x-rays
8-10 – Daily dose of natural background radiation we are all exposed to. This background radiation exposes your entire body versus medical or dental x-rays are more focused. Therefore less hazardous.
24-40 – Dose of radiation during a 4 hour commercial airplane flight
36 – Eating one banana per day for a year
100 – Living in a brick house instead of a wood-frame house for one year
1500-3000 – Mammogram
10000 – Cooking with natural gas every day (releases radon) for one year
50000 – Maximum yearly allowed occupational dose set by the U.S. FDA
