X-rays are a regular part of routine dental appointments that allow oral health professionals to examine the inner components of their patients’ oral structures and precisely plan surgeries to minimize the risk of complications. While traditional X-rays provide only two-dimensional images from single angles, modern cone beam CT scanners allow dentists to create highly detailed three-dimensional digital maps of their patients’ jawbones. Here’s a quick look at how these devices can help patients protect or rebuild a patient’s gorgeous smile.
What Is a Cone Beam CT Scanner?
Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scanning is a powerful form of digital imaging that can take up to two hundred images of the patient’s head in about a minute using a conical beam of X-rays. After your dentist’s cone beam CT scanner captures these photographs, a specialized computer can compile the data into a three-dimensional model of your oral anatomy, which allows dentists to closely inspect areas like:
- The teeth
- The sinuses and jawbones
- The soft tissues and nerves
- The inner structures of the ears, nose, and throat
What Benefits Can Cone Beam CT Scanning Provide?
Cone Beam CT Scanners provide dentists with dynamic and highly detailed models of patients’ oral anatomy, and they can deliver a range of important treatment benefits like:
- Superior image quality and accuracy
- Providing detailed and extensive information about the patient’s oral health
- Brief and comfortable treatment experience
- Less radiation exposure than traditional X-rays
You may need CBCT scanning so your dentist can:
- Ascertain detailed measurements of oral structures such as your jaw
- Identify oral infections that need treatment
- Detect signs of oral cancer that may need to be investigated
- Identify factors that are causing pain so they can be treated
- Examine your nasal cavity, nerve canal, or sinuses for abnormalities
- Plan surgical procedures so they can be safer and less invasive.
Cone beam CT scans can be a marvelous way to make oral care more comfortable and effective. Consulting with your dentist during routine dental appointments can help you understand how to keep your smile beautiful and functional for life.
About the Author
Dr. Jonathan H. Cohen earned his dental degree at the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine and completed his General Practice Residency at University Hospital in Syracuse. His office in Fruit Cove offers general, restorative, cosmetic, and emergency dentistry. To learn more about the benefits of cone beam CT scanning or to schedule your next appointment, contact his office online or dial (904) 230-2961.