What does dental CBCT stand for?
Dental CBCT stands for cone-beam computed tomography. Simply put, a dental CBCT is a more advanced form of a dental X-ray that gives dentists and prosthodontists more comprehensive information about the health and state of patients’ mouths, gums, and teeth.
How is a dental CBCT used?
A dental CBCT is used similarly to traditional dental X-rays in that our team members study images made of your teeth that reveal what is taking place beneath the surface. These types of images are crucial in the early diagnosis of many dental health issues, as well as the development of treatment plans to help promote a lifetime of good oral health.
During a dental CBCT scan, the patient sits comfortably while the motorized arm executes a complete circle around your head. The machine uses the images it collected from the session to reconstruct a three-dimensional view of your teeth, mouth, and oral bone structures.
The information gathered during a dental CBCT scan may be used in several different ways, including:
- Evaluation of the placement and position of a patient’s teeth, including an analysis of bone structure, jaw issues, and the airway passage.
- Dental implant planning, including being the first step to assess the needs of the patient in filling gaps in their smile.
- Orthodontics assessments, including creating a base point to work from in projecting the work that must be done to achieve the alignment and health of the patient’s smile.
- Root canal diagnosis and treatment, including determining the extent of the infection’s spread to respond appropriately and comprehensively.
What benefits can patients expect from a dental CBCT?
Overall, patients can expect a greater wealth of information revealed about their oral health from a dental CBCT. This helps with early diagnoses of any possible issues and a well-informed treatment plan. For example, traditional X-rays only look at the teeth and bones. The dental CBCT scan takes soft tissues into account at the same time.
If you would like to experience the benefits of a comprehensive dental CBCT scan, schedule a consultation with us today!
