What is a bitewing X-ray and how does it find cavities between teeth?

Cavities between teeth are very hard to see with the naked eye. A bitewing film lets the dentist see the hidden area between two teeth.

Many cavities sit on the surfaces where two teeth touch, a place that cannot be seen or reached with a mirror. To find them early, the dentist may request a bitewing film. It is a small X-ray that is quick to take and does not hurt, and it is especially helpful for people whose food often gets trapped between the teeth.

What a bitewing film is

A bitewing X-ray captures the crowns of both the upper and lower back teeth at the same time. The patient bites gently on a small tab placed in the mouth, which is where the name comes from. The film clearly shows the contact points between teeth and the top of the bone just below the gums. Compared with a panoramic film, it gives more detail in the back teeth area.

What the film can reveal

• Early cavities between teeth, before they can be seen with the eye.
• Decay that returns under an old filling or a crown.
• Bone loss between the back teeth.
• Tartar that sits below the gum line.

Finding a cavity early usually means a smaller filling and less discomfort, which is why this film is valuable for anyone who often feels food catching in the same spot.

When a bitewing is taken

The dentist usually requests it when you have sensitivity, food that keeps catching in one spot, or when a cavity between teeth is suspected. Films are not taken casually, only when they are truly needed and useful for treatment. The radiation dose of a dental film is very low, and a lead apron protects the rest of the body. Women who are pregnant should tell the dentist first.

You can read more in our articles on what interdental cavities are and what a panoramic film shows. You can walk in during working hours or call the hotline 028.3868.1097.

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