As of February 2024, lead aprons are no longer recommended for dental imaging according to the American Dental Association® (ADA) Council on Scientific Affairs.
This comes from studies conducted by the Food and Drug Administration and the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology pertaining to cone-beam computed tomography (CBT) and its effects.
The technology of modern dental X-rays already has a very minimal amount of radiation. CBT limits the reach on the radiation by only transmitting to the actual area being captured in the image. This recommendation can be applied to patients of all ages regardless of their health conditions, this includes pregnancy.
Adding a lead apron does very little to further protect against radiation. In fact, using an apron may interfere with the quality of the imaging which will result in more radiation necessary to retake the images.
Many dental offices still offer lead aprons at patient request but they are no longer a necessity.