An increasing number of dental offices have chosen to purchase their own cone beam computed tomography equipment and this trend is expected to continue. This is quite different from even just a few years ago when the majority of dentists did not have this high-tech equipment on-site.
Instead, they would refer patients to a clinic for diagnostic testing.
So, why should you choose a dental office with this advanced equipment and what are the advantages for patients?
What is Cone Beam Computed Tomography?
Cone beam computed tomography or cone beam CT for short, is a specialized type of dental x-ray. Your dentist may suggest using this equipment when a regular digital dental x-ray isn’t sufficient. This is because a cone beam CT produces highly detailed three-dimensional images of your teeth, jaws, nerves and blood vessels. It also shows the soft tissues in your mouth in just a single scan.
A cone beam CT scan is a little different from a conventional CT scan, although, the images it produces are quite similar and are extremely high quality. This is because a cone beam CT scan produces less radiation than a normal CT scan. The x-ray beam in a cone beam CT scan is concentrated into the shape of a cone, reducing scatter radiation.
Why Would I Need a Cone Beam CT Scan?
This type of x-ray is only used in particular circumstances, so you certainly won’t need a cone beam CT as part of your routine dental examination. It is most often used when planning orthodontic treatment or when planning particularly complex dental surgeries.
You will almost certainly need a scan in preparation for dental implants. It can be used to evaluate the condition of your jaws and to pinpoint the location of sinuses, nerves and your nasal cavity.
Cone beam CT scans are used when surgically planning to remove impacted wisdom teeth and can be useful in diagnosing a temporomandibular joint disorder. You would definitely need a cone beam CT scan if you require extensive reconstructive surgery.
This is the case with full mouth reconstruction or even for some advanced smile makeovers. Cone beam CT scans can also be useful when diagnosing and treating tumors in the jaws.
What Are the Benefits of Having a Cone Beam CT Scan?
The fact that the cone beam produces a focused beam helps to provide a high-quality image. Just a single scan can be manipulated by your dentist to show a wide variety of different angles and views.
This allows them to completely evaluate your dental health. It is hugely beneficial being able to see both hard and soft tissues in a single image. These images allow a dentist to plan treatment more concisely.
Are There Any Risks?
Modern cone beam CT scanners are specially designed to minimize the risk to patients, producing low levels of radiation. However, you will still be exposed to some radiation but because this kind of scan is only taken occasionally, the benefits far outweigh the risks.
Once the scan is complete, no radiation will remain in your body. Children are more sensitive to radiation than adults, so your dentist would only recommend this type of scan for a child if it is absolutely necessary for their dental health.
What Should I Expect When I Have a Cone Beam CT Scan?
You don’t need to do any special preparation before having this scan. It’s worth knowing that before the scan can take place, you will be asked to remove anything metal. This includes jewelry, glasses, hearing aids and removable dental appliances.
However, you should still bring any removable dental appliances with you in case the oral surgeon or your dentist needs to examine them.
Women must also inform the dentist if there is any possibility they may be pregnant, just as they would for conventional dental x-rays.
What Does a Cone Beam CT Scanner Look like?
Cone beam CT scanners are quite small and you may be seated or you can be asked to stand, while some dentists may even have a movable table so patients can lie down. The CT scanner will have a movable arm that will rotate around you while the image is being captured.
The arm will complete a 360° rotation. During this time it will capture multiple images from all angles which are then reconstructed to create a single high-quality three-dimensional image.
You will need to remain completely still while the images are being taken. It doesn’t take very long to have a CT scan so you will only need to stay still for approximately 30 seconds for a complete image to be taken. The whole procedure is quick and painless. Afterward, you will be able to return to work or your everyday activities.
What Happens Next?
The next stages for your dentist or oral surgeon are to analyze the images taken of your mouth. Using this information, they can then plan your treatment. Your dentist will discuss the results with you at a later date and will discuss your treatment plan in some depth.
Is a Cone Beam CT Scan Always Required for Dental Implants?
A cone beam CT scan is often regarded as being the gold standard when placing dental implants. This is one of the most frequent reasons why a CT scan is necessary. Not every dentist will take a cone beam CT scan when planning dental implant treatment. Yet, there are a lot of advantages in having this type of scan, even if you only require a single dental implant.
Using the information provided by a cone beam CT scan, your dentist can precisely plan every stage of your implant treatment.
They can do this before you come to the dental office for the surgical procedure. Nowadays this often includes making a computerized surgical guide that helps to eliminate placement errors during surgery.
Overall, having a cone beam CT scan will ensure your dental implant treatment is much more successful and that it is smoother and quicker. A cone beam CT scanner is a valuable piece of equipment.
If your dental office has conveniently invested in this technology then it can help to make your life easier. If you do need a CT scan, you can have it right there rather than having to get in touch with another dental office. It’ll also save you from having to trek to somewhere new, just to have a test that will only take a very short while.