A patient attended the practice recently where on exam his teeth and fillings appeared in good condition. However taking routine bitewing x-rays quite a large amount of decay was noted on his lower right first molar. At a subsequent appointment we were able to remove the decay and place a new white filling achieving good aesthetics which can be seen in the photos below. If this tooth had been left for much longer it would have resulted in a root canal treatment and probable crown which is both more expensive and time consuming for the patient.
This case highlights the importance of regular routine x-rays. We take these x-rays according to what risk catagory you are placed in. So the frequency of these x-rays can vary from 6 monthly to two yearly.