FOR APRIL 30, 2023
MEDICAL INSIDER
DR. RHODA ENTERO
What are the goals of 3D dental implant
scanning?
The goals of 3D dental implant scanning
include the following: assess bone quality;
Establish jaw boundaries; detect any underlying
pathology; determine the long axis of alveolar
bone; measure bone height and width (bone
dimensions); identify and localize internal
anatomy and conditions; decide the width and
length of the implant to be placed; decide if
implant treatment is appropriate for the patient;
ascertain angulation of alveolar process and
buccolingual width; and learn the location of
vital anatomical structures like the maxillary
sinus and inferior alveolar nerve
What is the benefit of CT Scanners?
We have to know that CT Scanners are much
faster to use and have lower radiation
A dental x-ray captures the insides of your
mouth like a normal x-ray but miniaturized to
specifically target the areas that the dentist will
work on.
Meanwhile, a 3D dental CT-scan doubles as an
x-ray but uses CT tech in order to accurately
showcase what’s in your mouth with a rotating
arm that captures multiple images of your head
from different angles. The images are used to
reconstruct in 3D of your internal anatomy with
amazing accuracy.
Essentially, CT scans with the CBCT scanner
are safer, faster, and uses lower radiation when
compared to dental x-rays. In essence, it
features the following advantages.
Works Faster:
The scanning duration of the CBCT scanner is
a quick 14 seconds. It’s much quicker than its
much larger standard CT scan machine
counterpart that takes a few minutes to do, but
in fairness that usually involves a whole body
scan or scanning larger parts of the body aside
from the head. An x-ray is about as fast, too,
but requires a lot of preparation time.
Lower Radiation: There’s significantly less x-
ray radiation involved when using the CBCT
scanner compared to the dental x-ray or even a
normal-sized CT scanner that’s huge enough
for an average-sized person to go through.
You won’t have to worry about getting too
irradiated with this procedure. This is why
relatively speaking a CBCT scanner is safer
than a CT scanner. It’s less than what you’d get
from a full-mouth dental x-ray.
More Information Made Available: The dentist
will know in advance, whether there’s a need or
not, for bone grafting and gum grafting in the
light of the extra information provided by the 3D
scan that also assists in creating the perfect
implant paraphernalia like the implant stud
itself, crown, and abutment to be placed on the
correct location in your mouth.
Starting Phase: The importance of the CBCT
scanner when it comes to making 3D CT-scans
of the head and mouth of the patient is of the
utmost importance in the starting phases of the
dental implant process because of various
factors that include the following items.
The CBCT scanner helps the dentist decide
whether or not a bone-grafting procedure is
called for.
The CBCT scanner is there to visualize the
anatomic structures that can’t be detected
visually or externally.
The CBCT scanner simulates the implant
surgery on the computer before the actual
procedure can take place using the 3D
scans.
The CBCT scanner helps avoid implants
from touching critical oral structures such as
the nose, the sinus, previous implants, teeth
roots, and nerves.
The scanned data from the CBCT scanner
can be sent electronically to the laboratory
or in-clinic computer where fabrication of the
surgical guide can take place.
In Summary
The 3D CT-scan or CT scan is a type of
technology that dramatically shortens surgery
time, which in turn reduces post-operative pain
and swelling. Everything is now done in a
streamlined manner because the dentist isn’t
left pawing at the dark in regards to where to
properly place the implant or what lies
underneath the gums and empty tooth socket
where there used to be a tooth.
There are even cases wherein the teeth might
be placed on the implants on the same day as
the surgery date because of the help of the
digital 3D scans that translate immediately to
CAD/CAM dentistry. More to the point, the 3D
scan is easily read by the digital dentist lab, so
making a new crown that perfectly fits is a snap
and is microscopically accurate based on the
laser-precise data provided by the 3D CT-scan,
thus resulting in effective pre-operative
computer planning. That’s the power of 3D CT
dental imaging in a nutshell.