Dental torture devices

[JustPurple]

AIBU to think that the dental x-ray thing that the dentist puts in your mouth is designed as some kind dental torture aperitif?

Does it need to have such sharp edges? Has the manufacturer ever seen the shape of a human mouth before? The kicker is that you're probably already in pain and you're encouraged to bit down just a bit harder, so ultimately you're the architect of your own agony.

They’re not the most comfortable, does make you wonder who designs things like that. I had an X-ray this afternoon as part of a routine appointment (my usual dental practice but not usual dentist). My mouth is still feeling funny now.

I had exactly the same and it cut painfully into my gums.

I wondered if it was designed for women’s mouths ands I looked it up afterwards and saw that large was for men, and small was for children and women. Any Dentists here …..?

I get what you mean, but they are designed for medical imaging. A tooth is about 2.5cm tip of tooth to tip of root. So the film needs to be just larger than that so see the entire root and the bone/ possible infection around it.

No difference in size re men’s and women’s teeth, but if you have a smaller mouth, or tight muscle attachments, you will feel it more on the soft tissues. Unfortunately they are not designed for comfort, but it only takes about 10 seconds to take an X-ray so be brave!

There’s things you can do regarding technique to try to minimise discomfort but ultimately they are designed to get the best possible image and therefore give the dentist the best possible chance at getting accurate information to make a diagnosis. If you move, don’t bite etc it reduces the above. So unfortunately it’s a case of suck it up. But hopefully you’ve now had a diagnosis and treatment and are feeling better.