Choosing the Best X-ray for Your Practice

Read about how to choose the best X-ray machine to meet your dental practice's needs.

 
 


Choosing the right X-ray machine for your dental practice can be confusing. Dental radiography has evolved from film and chemical developers into a highly technical process that involves various types of digital X-ray machines and powerful dental software programs to assist the dentist with image acquisition and diagnostic analysis of the acquired images. When making the decision to purchase X-ray equipment, it's important to research the available options thoroughly and make an informed choice for the practice.

The most important question to ask is: What is the main type of treatment that I provide my patients? If you are a general practitioner, a standard two-dimensional panoramic X-ray machine will provide all of the imaging requirements needed for treatments like caries detection, diagnosis of TMJ issues, OPG images and images of the patient's entire detention in a single X-ray. Digital X-rays offer an environmentally friendly and, in the long run, cheaper way to create dental imaging than film X-rays. Many of the newer two-dimensional panoramic machines also offer extra-oral bitewing imaging capability, which allows the dentist to obtain a bitewing image without putting a sensor or periapical film inside of the patient’s mouth.

Orthodontists require a way to ascertain the size and form of craniofacial structures in patients. For this reason, a cephalometric extension on the imaging X-ray device is necessary to acquire images that evaluate the five components of the face, which are the cranium, the cranial base, the skeletal maxillae, the skeletal mandible and the maxillary dentition. This type of imaging is good for determining treatment options for conditions like sleep apnea and TMJ. The cephalometric attachment can also create more advanced images such as frontal anteroposteriors and lateral cephalograms. 

If the practice is concentrated in endodontic and implant treatment, then a CBCT, or cone beam machine is the most practical method of providing the doctor with diagnostic tools such as mandibular canal location, surgical guides and pre-surgical treatment planning with the assistance of powerful three-dimensional dental software applications. The patient benefits from this type of X-ray because the radiation exposure is lower with these machines than other X-ray machines.

A good way to reduce costs is to choose portable X-ray equipment. This equipment can be moved from room to room and offers great flexibility for dentists at affordable pricing.

DuraPro Health has been providing affordable equipment solutions to dentists for over 15 years, and dental radiography is a major part of our portfolio. We offer X-ray machines for sale from trusted manufacturers such as Carestream Dental InstrumentariumOwandy, and Vatech America. Our pre-owned X-ray equipment is a great way to keep costs down for your practice. We also offer practice management dental software for any size of practice, as well as accessories like protective X-ray aprons. 

You can find more information about choosing an X-ray machine in our Dental X-Ray Machines Buying Guide.

If you need assistance with any of your dental imaging needs, please give one of our professional sales consultants a call today!

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