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Routine dental X-rays are not backed by evidence

(arstechnica.com)
353 points keithly | 1 comments | 14 Oct 24 21:37 UTC | HN request time: 0.398s | source
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pandatigox ◴[15 Oct 24 05:59 UTC] No.41845382[source]▶
Current final year dental student pitching in here. While dentists of the past may push for unnecessary annual radiographs, the curriculum in dental school has changed to favour evidence-based dentistry. Annual bitewings are only indicated if you're a high caries risk, and, as the article mentions, 2-3 years if you're low caries risk. So your younger/newer dentist will be following much better protocols (and hopefully not scamming you)!
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1. MrSkelter ◴[22 Oct 24 09:45 UTC] No.41912710[source]▶
As someone who has lived on 4 continents the dentistry industry in the US is radically corrupt. As well as studies proving this, the fact dentists are rewarded for treatment means that even with the best intentions dentists are motivated to over-react under the guise of being “preventative”. Hence the American idea that wisdom teeth should almost always be removed, while in other countries the “crowding” issues Americans have been taught to fear only become problematic in a minority of cases and can be dealt with as and when they appear.

X-rays are just a revenue stream. Funnily enough Americans I know who experience dentistry in places like Scandinavia are often confused as to how little is done, despite outcomes being better overall.