Cone Beam Computed Tomography in Implantology and Dentistry

Computerized tomography (CT)-based dental imaging for implant planning and surgical guidance carries both restorative information for implant positioning, as far as trajectory and distribution, and radiographic information, as far as depth and proximity to critical anatomic landmarks such as the mandibular canal, maxillary sinus, and adjacent teeth. Cone Beam Computed tomography (CBCT) is a compact, faster and safer version of the regular CT. Through the use of a cone shaped X-Ray beam, the size of the scanner, radiation dosage and time needed for scanning are all dramatically reduced. A typical CBCT scanner can fit easily into any dental (or otherwise) practice and is easily accessible by patients. The time needed for a full scan is typically under one minute and the radiation dosage is up to a hundred times less than that of a regular CT scanner. In this publication, the differences between the cone beam CT and conventional CT scans will be evaluated and their clinical applications in the implant and other fields of dental therapy will be explored.