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The liability issue makes no sense as the patient could sign a waiver. I've often asked my doctor to simply feel a sprained finger, wrist, or ankle and have opted out of having an x ray. My doctor happily does so without giving me a lecture. Surely a medical doctor has similar--if not more-- concerns about liability, and yet they don't argue the issue with their patients. This makes me think it must be about money and dentists have somehow agreed not to allow a patient to get away without x rays as it might start a 'trend'.
The liability issue makes no sense as the patient could sign a waiver. I've often asked my doctor to simply feel a sprained finger, wrist, or ankle and have opted out of having an x ray. My doctor happily does so without giving me a lecture. Surely a medical doctor has similar--if not more-- concerns about liability, and yet they don't argue the issue with their patients. This makes me think it must be about money and dentists have somehow agreed not to allow a patient to get away without x rays as it might start a 'trend'.
A doctor isn't going to take a sharp pointed hook and dig under the skin against the bone to clean it, without taking an X-ray to make sure it actually needs that kind of work AND to make sure that there isn't something going on under the surface that poking at it with a hook might make worse.
Dental cleaning isn't just brushing your teeth with an electric toothbrush. It involves sharp hooks scraping at the gumline, against the tooth, which might or might not be healthy and might or might not crumble or cause excruciating pain if someone scrapes at it with a sharp metal hook.
You should be getting x-rays every year by the same dentist. If you go dentist-hopping, then each time you go, you risk your new dentist not knowing what kind of dental history you have, and not knowing that you have a tiny little divot in the tooth just under the gumline that is WAITING to pop a nerve when a dental hook scrapes against it. If you are seeing a dentist on schedule every year, your dentist won't need you to get new x-rays during the 6-month visit unless he knows there are trouble spots that need to be carefully monitored. But yes, he will likely want a new set on the 1-year visit.
The liability issue makes no sense as the patient could sign a waiver. I've often asked my doctor to simply feel a sprained finger, wrist, or ankle and have opted out of having an x ray. My doctor happily does so without giving me a lecture. Surely a medical doctor has similar--if not more-- concerns about liability, and yet they don't argue the issue with their patients. This makes me think it must be about money and dentists have somehow agreed not to allow a patient to get away without x rays as it might start a 'trend'.
A patient cannot sign a waiver giving a dentist permission to perform malpractice. The dentists that still do that are mainly old-timers who aren't as familiar with the current medico-legal environment we live in these days, and haven't realized that those waivers don't hold up in court. Hygienists are not allowed to practice independently and just "clean teeth" although many people want to view a cleaning the same as a hair appointment. A dentist has to perform an exam, and xrays are part of the exam, and are the standard of care. Performing below standard of care is malpractice. And why would a dentist want to cater to this type of patient who is waving a red flag alerting them that they will just be more trouble down the road.
Xrays allow the dentist to detect problems before they are visible to the naked eye. Do you also balk when your physician wants to check your blood pressure or test you for diabetes? Or do you prefer to wait until you are in the hospital with a diabetic coma?
For the person that said xrays are NOT required by state law....I don't know where you live but in my state of Texas, they are required at some level. The Texas State Board of Dental Examiners who governs licensure state that xrays should be prescribed in accordance with ADA guidelines. This statement can be found on page 50 of this document:
I have never questioned the reason for having X rays, and I never will. I do no think the amount of radiation we receive from X rays every year or so is going to hurt anyone. OP, I don't know the answer to your question, but I do think X rays can be valuable.
I often don't get x-rays when I just get a cleaning. Usually I think it's every other time. I just went this week and we did not do x-rays except on one area, but only because I mentioned I was concerned about something. Was not a whole set though. Has been that way all my life! Guess I just assumed that was normal.
So even a very small amount can be a tipping point for someone who has been over exposed. In addition, I do not have the expertise to examine xray equipment or even to deduce whether or not it's digital. When you ask for records of the required state examination of the xray machine, they are often not on the machine or readily available. 40 years ago when dental xray machines were putting out levels of radiation now considered not to be safe if given annually (they were usually done semi annually), we were told the same line about how safe they were. Dentists offered no lead bib protection nor did they ask if the patient might be pregnant, yet they routinely refused to see patients who would not have xrays.
So even a very small amount can be a tipping point for someone who has been over exposed. In addition, I do not have the expertise to examine xray equipment or even to deduce whether or not it's digital. When you ask for records of the required state examination of the xray machine, they are often not on the machine or readily available. 40 years ago when dental xray machines were putting out levels of radiation now considered not to be safe if given annually (they were usually done semi annually), we were told the same line about how safe they were. Dentists offered no lead bib protection nor did they ask if the patient might be pregnant, yet they routinely refused to see patients who would not have xrays.
They don't do that anymore, and have been requiring leaded bibs for a couple of decades now. X-ray machines didn't even exist until the late 1800's, prior to that dentists and other doctors basically took educated guesses, and if they wanted to see what was inside, they had to surgically cut you open and take a look that way.
In the last 120 years, dentistry has come a LONG LONG way. In the past 40 years dentistry has come a LONG LONG way. I wouldn't be so concerned about how things were done 40 years ago.
I can't even remember how many years ago it was that I instructed the hygienist to mark "No x-rays" in my file. I understand why they may think they're necessary, but I have no interest in regular, routine x-rays. I don't even have one cavity ( and I' m of a generation in which cavities were rampant), and they always comment on how great my gums are.
I'll never be complaisant about x-rays. I am the boss about that when I go to the dentist.
The odds of ''winning'' may be low, but stiil, I'd prefer not playing.
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Unfortunately radiation is cumulative
