Types of dental x-rays – Lat-Ceph
A lat-ceph, formally known as a lateral cephalometric x-ray, gives a side-on view of the head and neck. This type of x-ray is used in conjunction with an OPG to plan orthodontic treatment.
The amount of radiation exposure from a Lat-Ceph is extremely low, at only 10 or less microsieverts, which is less than a flight from Darwin to Perth.
Types of dental x-rays – CBCT
CBCT is short for cone beam computerised tomography. This type of x-ray gives a three-dimensional (3-D) view of, not only the teeth but the jaws and surrounding facial structure. A CBCT is used for more complex dental procedures such as a difficult wisdom tooth extraction or root canal therapy, etc.
The amount of radiation exposure from a CBCT is higher than the Lat-Ceph as it records more in-depth detail being a 3-D version but it is still safe at 80 or less microsieverts.
