Radiation Safety of Radiographs Taken at the Dentist
The question is not whether there is radiation but how much and why.
What is done to reduce the dose
- Digital sensors: shorter exposure time than film
- Collimation: restricting the beam to the area of interest
- Use of a lead apron and thyroid collar
- Dose adjusted to body size in children
- Correct positioning and holders to avoid repeat exposures
- Imaging only where there is a clinical justification
- Not repeating an image when a recent one exists
Why taking no radiograph is itself a risk
A clinical examination shows a great deal but not everything. Decay between teeth is invisible in a mirror; silent inflammation at the apex of a root-treated tooth, pressure from an impacted wisdom tooth and alveolar bone loss are all assessable only with imaging. Declining the radiograph does not remove these findings, only hides them, usually delaying diagnosis and widening the eventual treatment.
Pregnancy and children
In pregnancy the general approach is to postpone elective imaging until after birth. But with infection, an abscess or severe pain, delaying diagnosis carries the greater risk, and necessary images can be taken with an apron and thyroid collar — always tell your dentist if you are or might be pregnant. In children the dose is adjusted to body size and the interval set by decay risk.
Getting Here, Booking and Emergencies from Yeni Mahallesi
Route, booking and emergency arrangements for patients from Yeni Mahallesi.
Getting here from Yeni Mahallesi
Yeni Mahallesi lies in the Kepez district of Antalya; Kepez is one of the central districts, about 6 kilometres from the clinic. We also see patients from neighbouring areas that share the route from Yeni Mahallesi, such as Varsak Karşıyaka, Yeşilyurt, Altınova Düden, Baraj. You can ask for the location on WhatsApp when travelling from Yeni Mahallesi.
Appointments for Yeni Mahallesi
At this distance, splitting treatment into visits is no problem for patients from Yeni Mahallesi, and attending reviews is easy too. As with patients from Kepez generally, appointments for families from Yeni Mahallesi can be scheduled consecutively.
Emergencies from Yeni Mahallesi
Setting out from Yeni Mahallesi at night is quick; come without delay in an emergency, and calling as you leave means preparation is done in advance. For patients coming from Yeni Mahallesi, the clinic is open 24/7 and in an emergency the order is set by severity rather than arrival time. For spreading facial swelling, difficulty swallowing or breathing, or toothache with fever, go to the nearest emergency department.
A Tooth That Darkens After Root Canal Treatment
A root-treated front tooth can turn grey or yellow over the years. This does not mean the treatment failed; discolouration is a separate matter with its own solution.
Why it darkens
There are three causes. First, blood seeping into the dentine before or during trauma; blood products accumulate in the dentinal tubules. Second, tissue remnants left in the pulp chamber — preventable with careful cleaning. Third, some root filling materials staining over time. Loss of vitality alone does not cause marked darkening; the real cause is organic material left inside.
Internal bleaching
The solution comes from inside the tooth rather than outside. The root filling is covered, a bleaching agent placed in the chamber and sealed with a temporary filling. It is checked a week later and repeated if needed, usually two to four times. No tooth is removed and no crown is needed — it is the most conservative solution and in most cases matches the neighbouring tooth.
Is the result permanent?
In most cases it lasts for years; in some there is partial relapse and a single top-up session suffices. What determines durability is how well the chamber was cleaned and whether the restoration above leaks. If the result is inadequate, a laminate veneer or crown comes into question — but the least invasive method is tried first.
