3D Imaging: What is 3D dental imaging used for?

Unlike traditional x-rays, the 3-D imaging system can create either a 2-D or a 3-D image, & includes scans of your tissues in addition to bones & teeth. 3-D dental imaging is sometimes referred to as cone beam CT scanning, which is the technology that makes the scan possible. The dentist can zoom in on the scan, rotate it and view it at any angle, and even look through scans at different depths. This scan can visualize your teeth, roots, gums, bones, nerves, & airways & how all of these structures relate to each other. 3D x-rays give a better, more accurate picture of your mouth & require less radiation than traditional x-rays. These precise 3D images help dentists identify potential problems & design highly customized treatment plans to keep your teeth healthy.

What Is 3D Dentistry?

When we think about visiting the dentist’s office, we often think of bright lights, blue bibs, toothbrushes, picks, drills and bubblegum toothpaste. However, advanced imaging utilizing cone-beam computed tomography machine, also known as a CBCT machine technology is slowly but surely making its way into dental offices across the United States. Because of their wide recognition as contributors to quality dental care, CBCT machines are now becoming more commonplace among technologically up-to-date offices across the world.

3D dentistry, at its most basic, involves developing a digital, 3D image of the mouth and skull. Traditional X-rays only develop a 2D picture of your mouth, while other methods took longer bouts of radiation to create a detailed picture, and were more unpleasant and intrusive to the patient.

3D dental images are most often used for diagnosis and treatment planning. Being able to see the mouth in three dimensions allows the dentist to better and more effectively formulate an approach to treat dental conditions.

When are 3D scans used?

Dental clinics continue to use 3D dental imaging systems for a variety of clinical applications, such as dental implant planning, visualizing the progress of abnormal teeth, diagnosing root canal issues, diagnosing dental cavities, or diagnosing dental trauma. It allows dentists to get a fuller picture of the anatomical structure of the patient.

• Assess the quality of the jawbone where the implant will be placed.
• Determine where nerves are located.
• Diagnose tumors and disease in the early stages.
• Measure the density of the jawbone where the implant will be placed.
• Pinpoint the most effective placement for implants, including the angle of best fit.
• Plan the complete surgical procedure in advance, from start to finish.
• Precisely decide on the appropriate size and type of implants.
• View exact orientation and position of each tooth.
• View impacted teeth.

Rest assured that dentists will only use this technology when it is necessary and when it will directly benefit the patient.

How Does 3D Dentistry Work?

The 3D dental imaging process starts with taking a scan of the lower half of the face to create an image. The most widely recognized and technologically advanced method of completing this scan is with a cone-beam computed tomography machine, also known as a CBCT machine. This machine takes a scan of the mouth using a series of small beams of radiation, each of which produces a digital image. This series of images is formed, collected and compiled, at which point they can be converted into a three-dimensional model and used for a variety of dental purposes and procedures.

3D dentistry can be used for simple diagnostics, showing angles and features of the teeth that may not have been visible with a traditional 2D X-ray scan. However, this 3D CBCT scan can also be used to develop a complete 3D model of the skull and teeth, which can be used for complex diagnostics and comparative data. This is especially important for identifying degenerative conditions or potential problem areas down the road.

In addition to this diagnostic use, 3D dental imaging can now be integrated with digital impressions of teeth. CEREC technology allows a dentist to take digital impressions of the teeth with extreme accuracy. These digital impressions, which are used to create dental restorations, can then be merged with the 3D CBCT scan. This allows for a seamless planning of complex treatment such as dental implants, customized sleep appliances and corrective devices. This level of integration utilizing CEREC and CBCT is unmatched in the dental industry.

How Is CBCT Different From Other Methods?

The CBCT process is quite different from a medical CT scan or a traditional X-ray, primarily due to the way in which the images are collected and processed.

Medical CT scans use a fan-shaped X-ray beam that runs through the body, and they take these scans in a helical progression throughout the area of interest to develop individual slices of the image in the field of view. This may require multiple passes to get the same image a CBCT machine could get in one, making the CT scan more expensive to use and increasing the patient’s exposure to radiation.

CBCT scans also differ from the traditional dental X-ray. Instead of biting down on uncomfortable intra-oral sensors to capture the entire image of a tooth, the CBCT machine is non-intrusive, maximizing your comfort. Additionally, typical dental X-rays only focus on your teeth, and not on your entire skull or jaw. For more extensive dental surgery or implants, this is simply insufficient. Also, each traditional X-ray picture requires exposure, increasing the time between taking the X-ray and gleaning any meaningful information from it.