Dental X-Rays for Children in Wichita, KS
If you have ever hesitated when the dental assistant reaches for the X-ray equipment, you are not alone. It is one of the most common questions parents ask us, and it deserves a real answer rather than a reassuring wave.
Dental X-rays let us see what an exam alone cannot: cavities forming between teeth, adult teeth developing under the gums, and problems with jaw growth or spacing that are invisible from the outside. At ICTeeth Pediatric Dentistry, our board-certified pediatric dentists order X-rays based on your individual child, not on a fixed schedule, and we use every available protection to keep exposure as low as possible.
Why Choose Us
- We have six talented pediatric dentists
- We have an amazing team who love small faces and big smiles
- Parents love the fun and positive experience for their kids
What dental X-rays show that an exam cannot
A visual exam catches a great deal, but not areas invisible to our eyes alone. X-rays let us see:
- Cavities forming between teeth, where the surfaces touch and a mirror cannot reach
- Decay beneath an existing filling or crown
- Adult teeth developing in the jaw, including teeth that are missing, extra, or growing in the wrong direction
- Whether there is enough room for permanent teeth to erupt
- Bone loss, infection, or abscess below the gumline
- Injury to the tooth root after a fall or a blow to the mouth
Catching these early is the difference between a small filling and a baby root canal, or between a simple space maintainer and years of orthodontic correction.
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How often does my child need X-rays?
There is no single answer, and any practice that gives you one is not looking closely enough at your child.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that X-ray frequency be based on each child’s individual risk of decay, their age, their stage of dental development, and their history. A child with no cavities, good home care, and low decay risk needs X-rays far less often than a child who has had several cavities or whose enamel is developing unusually.
In practice, that means we review the need at each visit rather than defaulting to a schedule.
Dr. Stephen P. Moore
Dr. David J. Brown
Dr. Trey K. Anderson
Dr. Amrita Khemka
Dr. Kristal Raya
Dr. Kelsey Martinez
How we keep exposure as low as possible
Dental X-rays are among the lowest-radiation imaging procedures in medicine, and pediatric dentistry uses the smallest doses in dentistry. Here is what we do at every appointment:
- Digital sensors instead of film. Digital imaging requires substantially less radiation than traditional film to produce a usable image, and it lets us view the result immediately.
- Protective aprons and thyroid collars. Standard on every child, every time.
- Child-sized sensors and settings. Equipment and exposure settings are adjusted for a child’s size, not scaled down from an adult default.
- Only what is needed. We take the specific images that answer a specific question. There is no routine full set ordered by habit.
We also account for what your child has already had. If your child recently had imaging elsewhere, tell us and we will request those records rather than repeating them.
Insurance and cost
Most dental insurance plans cover X-rays at some interval, and KanCare covers diagnostic imaging as part of children’s dental benefits. We verify coverage before your visit so there are no surprises. See our insurance and financial information for the plans we accept.
-Susanna D.
Schedule at the office closest to you
We take X-rays at all three of our offices, in Northeast Wichita, West Wichita, and Derby. If you have questions about imaging before your child’s visit, ask us at scheduling and we will talk it through with you first.
Yes. Dental X-rays use very low levels of radiation, and pediatric dental imaging uses the lowest doses in dentistry. We use digital sensors, protective aprons and thyroid collars, and child-sized settings on every patient. We also order X-rays only when there is a specific question they will answer.
It depends on your child. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends basing frequency on each child’s decay risk, age, dental development, and history rather than a fixed schedule. We review the need at every visit.
There is no set starting age. Some children need their first X-rays as early as their back teeth touch, because that is the point at which decay can begin in a place we cannot see. Others wait longer. We base it on what your child’s mouth is doing, not on a birthday.
A low-risk child needs X-rays much less often, and we will tell you that. However, X-rays also show developing adult teeth and jaw growth, which a cavity-free child can still have problems with. We will explain what we are looking for and why before we take anything.
