Cone Beam Computed Tomography(CBCT)
Three-dimensional radiographic imaging is a scientific achievement with many advantages, offering a more accurate and safer diagnostic tool. Today, three-dimensional radiographic imaging through Cone Beam Computer Tomography (CBCT) in modern dental practice is a valuable diagnostic tool, particularly in cases of anatomical challenges encountered in implant planning or general dental treatments (e.g., the inferior alveolar nerve, nasal and paranasal sinuses). Proper and accurate planning protects the patient while also providing unique treatment planning protocols and loading strategies for dental implants. The much greater imaging accuracy compared to a traditional Dental CT allows for the digital placement of implants on a computer using data from the radiograph, facilitated by specialized software. This ensures more precise planning and enhances patient safety.
Thus, this machine could be considered a valuable diagnostic and communication tool, as the treatment plan can now be presented tangibly to the patient before execution. This ensures safety, comfort, rapid recovery, and more accurate imaging and planning (immediate loading – same day teeth). The low radiation dose, nearly equivalent to that of a panoramic X-ray machine, combined with the very short exposure time compared to a conventional CT scan, represents a technological advancement primarily aimed at dental patients, as it minimizes their radiation exposure while providing much more accurate imaging capabilities than other devices. The machine can focus radiation solely on the cranial area, specifically the jaws and maxillary sinuses, making it suitable for dental use only. Its potential applications span every dental field, from general to specialized dentistry, wherever detailed jaw imaging is necessary.
Its use is intended both for patients needing dental-type X-rays and for dentists who can utilize it for diagnostic purposes in a limited field, providing more accurate imaging in cases such as endodontics, temporomandibular disorders, or even a simple panoramic X-ray, among others. The application of three-dimensional Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) is not limited to implantology but extends to every area of dentistry, making it a valuable and essential diagnostic tool today.
Advantages of CBCT
A CT scanner designed exclusively for dental use, with applications in implantology, endodontics, orthodontics, periodontology, and oral surgery. Anteroposterior and lateral cephalometric X-rays can be derived from a single initial CT scan, further reducing radiation exposure for the patient, especially when these imaging methods are necessary for young patients undergoing orthodontic treatment. It offers very low radiation exposure, comparable to a simple panoramic X-ray but with three-dimensional imaging. The radiation dose is 20 to 50 times lower than that of conventional CT scans. It also provides a very thin slice thickness, 5 to 15 times smaller than that of a traditional CT scan, where indicated (digital treatment planning – guided surgery).
The ability to digitally read and modify volumetric data in the dental office by the referring dentist allows for precise 1:1 measurements, focusing on either the upper or lower jaw depending on the occlusal plane, or even a single tooth without the distortion present in panoramic X-rays. It offers a very small focal spot and high resolution. The field of view is larger compared to a panoramic X-ray (6-12 inches). The imaging is simple, safe, accurate, fast, and provides more detailed three-dimensional images. The actual exposure time is minimal since the radiation is pulsed and adjusted based on the patient's size (40% less radiation for children than adults). Multiple 360-degree images are captured with a single simple rotation using cone-beam radiation, whereas in traditional CT scans, the patient is typically irradiated transversely with multiple rotations. The digital design of the treatment plan serves as a communication tool between the dentist and the patient.