Re: unuseful dental x-ray

["Gibbs, S Julian" <s.julian.gibbs@vanderbilt.edu>]

Ignore my previous message; now the original question is 
available.  I'm afraid you should take issue with the 
insurance company.  Many of them REQUIRE these radiographs, 
which are called "administrative" because the patient gets 
no health benefit.  All responsible authorities and 
organizations (e.g., the American Academy of Oral and 
Maxillofacial Radiology) state unequivocally that there is 
no justification for such use of radiation.  I think most 
dentists go along with this.

There is another issue.  If there is any question of the 
health and vitality of the teeth to which the proposed 
bridge will be attached, then radiographs of those teeth 
may be clinically justified.  The potential benefit may 
well outweigh the potential risk and dollar cost.  A bridge 
depending on an unhealthy tooth (or surrounding bone 
support) is doomed to early failure, leading to 
considerable pain, needless cost, and potential infection.  
However, the dentist must justify the radiation exposure on 
the basis of reasonable expectation of a health benefit to 
the patient.

This is a rather complex issue.  I hope my brief comments 
are helpful.

********************************************************************
S. Julian Gibbs, DDS, PhD                        Voice: 615-322-3190
Professor of Radiology                             FAX: 615-322-3764 
Dept. of Radiology & Radiological Sciences
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville TN 37232-2670         Email: s.julian.gibbs@Vanderbilt.Edu