Metal Mouth Message Board

I know that you dont' get routine x-rays at your checkups/cleanings when you have braces because of all that metal in your mouth.

What about when you have a fixed permanent retainer? That's metal, too, but I assume that these people don't stop having routine x-rays for the rest of their lives.

Anyone know?

Thanks in advance

I'm supposed to have a fixed bottom retainer when I get my braces off. I think the dentist will still take x-rays despite the retainer. Full top & bottom braces are A LOT of metal to work around though so I think they just don't do it when you're in braces. Just my guess though....

I have stainless steel brackets on my lower arch, not to mention metal archwires, and my dentist has always performed routine x-rays while I've been braced. My orthodontist has also done a number of panoramic films to check my progress, without a problem. I imagine that bonded retainers would not cause much of a problem.

Panos give different diagnostic info than bite-wings and periapicals.

Yes -- but my point was just that my dentist and ortho have been able to get the films they have needed with my braces in place without artifacts that obscure what they need to see, so I expect that bonded retainers won't be a huge issue, or orthos wouldn't recommend them as often as they do.

I saw my x-rays last month at my cleaning, and they looked pretty free of artifacts. I'm not expecting my lower bonded retainer to cause any major problems with respect to dental x-rays.

I saw my x-rays last month at my cleaning, and they looked pretty free of artifacts. I'm not expecting my lower bonded retainer to cause any major problems with respect to dental x-rays.

Hi Granola,

I don't know what kind of experience you have with radiology in general or even dental radiology. I apologize if you know these things but i'll try to explain a few things. An x-ray is a 2 dimensional picture of a 3 dimensional object. The x-rays are absorbed and pass through at different levels based on the material in which they are penetrating. The different densities on film indicate different structures or tissues. It does not matter what is on the other side of metal in a radiograph, the x-rays are absorbed by the metal and don't have a chance to pass through to the film to give any detail of what is below the metal.

Most GP's will take bitewings once/year and are mainly used to diagnose developing carries, calculus, or bone levels. It is possible to take perfectly diagnostic radiographs with a mouth full of metal, but it is very difficult to do properly. Plus, most archwires are at a level where they can obscure the image around the contact which is where carries generally begin to form and what you are usually looking for.

Regarding Sue's original question about a bonded retainer. Regardless of what the retainer may or may not do to the image, your GP can easily use trans-illumination to detect carries on anterior teeth. Ever notice how you get "routine" x-rays in the back yearly but only x-rays of your front teeth once/5 years or so?

Hope this helps.

Best,
Rory

Hi Rory!

Well, there is a radiologist in my family but as you can tell, it most certainly is not me.

Thank you for always positive and very informative/helpful post -- it is certainly appreciated.

As an aside, given my dental history, I'm happy that my dentist took x-rays annually during my braces treatment to help detect any developing problems, even if the films were not perfect diagnostically.

Thanks, everyone!

When I'm in for my next general cleaning/checkup and they go to do x-rays, should I mention to them that I have fixed retainers? On a second thought, they would have already seen them because they just cleaned my teeth.

As I thought, it's not an issue to have fixed retainers and get routine x-rays.

Thanks again