For decades, film x-rays were the standard for radiography. Film x-rays took 10 to 15 minutes at a time to develop, which resulted in time lost to developing film that could have been spent treating patients. Multiple x-rays often needed to be taken, which was a concern due to patients’ repeated exposure to radiation. Often, patients would move during taking x-rays, which meant that some x-rays would need to be retaken.
Digital x-rays can capture images in seconds, and those images can be uploaded and displayed upon a computer monitor for you to see in the same amount of time. It translates to less time you need to spend in the dental chair, and more time that Dr. Yaftaly can devote to your treatment. Because the digital images can be enhanced and enlarged, Dr. Yaftaly can see areas of damage that would not be visible with traditional x-rays and prescribe treatment accordingly.
As less time is spent acquiring images, digital x-rays also can reduce the levels of exposure to radiation by as much as 85%. Without the need to print and develop film, there is also a sharp reduction in chemical waste, which works to our patients’ benefit through cost savings. And digital images can be emailed to insurers, enabling them to see x-rays in minutes, as opposed to sending the images by mail with a wait time of several days.