26 Apr Cone Beam CT: How Advanced Technology Improves Dental Care
Before diagnostic imaging, oral healthcare professionals had few tools available to evaluate the health of structures not visible to the naked eye. The advent of radiography has made diagnosing and treating dental health conditions easier. One form of advanced technology our dentist utilizes is “cone beam computed tomography (CBCT)”, which has applications in a variety of oral healthcare procedures.
Following is helpful information about how CBCT is used and how it can enhance your dental care.
The Basics of CBCT
A conventional X-ray only shows so much. For starters, it’s a two-dimensional image and can only depict hard tissue like bones and joints.
A CBCT, however, produces images of hard and soft tissues alike, including nerve pathways. It also produces three-dimensional images that provide a more comprehensive view of oral anatomy. These images improve the accuracy of diagnoses and the effectiveness of certain dental treatments.
How CBCT is Used
The detailed images that CBCT produces can be used in restorative, endodontic, and cosmetic dental procedures. They can also be used to diagnose oral cancer and the progression of conditions like TMJ disorder and gum disease.
CBCT is advantageous when patients are receiving surgical and reconstructive procedures. Cone beam images are helpful for evaluating the health of bone tissue, particularly when determining where bone grafts or dental implants should be placed. The precise view of bone density can help ensure the likelihood of successful dental implant placement, too.
Some common situations where cone beam scans are helpful include:
- Planning surgical treatments for tooth extractions, especially impacted wisdom teeth
- Evaluating the health of sinus cavities, maxillofacial hard tissue, and nerve canals
- Detecting benign and cancerous tumors/lesions
- Analyzing tooth orientation
Receiving cone beam scans takes less than a minute. The comprehensive images produced by it provide invaluable information to your dentist.
Our practice provides high-quality oral healthcare to patients in our community. Contact our team at The Dental Place if you have questions about advanced technology or would like to schedule a consultation with our dentist.