Why Dentists are Replacing X-Ray Machines With CBCT Scanners
If you haven't been to the dentist’s office in a while, you may remember putting on a heavy lead apron and getting your teeth X-rayed by a strange looking robotic arm. However, as technology has advanced the gold standard has slowly but surely shifted to the CBCT Scanner (Cone Based Computed Tomography). But what is the difference between these machines? What benefits does this new fancy machine bring?
Traditional X-rays
X-rays are a type of electromagnetic wave, and X-ray imaging creates pictures known as “radiographs” of the inside of your body or mouth.
Typically there are four main types of X-Ray that you will receive at the dentist’s office.
- Periapical x-rays: These x-rays image a cluster or portion of your mouth and show the whole tooth. Because it is a pinpoint technique it is not used for whole-mouth radiographs.
- Bite-wing x-rays: These image either the upper or lower portion of one area of your mouth, and show from the crown of the tooth to the supporting jaw bone.
- Occlusal x-rays: This x-ray is used to map and find changes in the shape of your upper or lower arch.
- Panoramic x-ray: Shows all teeth in the upper and lower jaw, a quick way to see the whole mouth and help your dentist spot possible issues.
These images of your teeth are used by your dentist to evaluate your oral health. This can help to identify problems, like cavities, tooth decay, and impacted teeth.
CBCT Scanner
Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) creates 3D images, and displays soft tissue as well as airway, bone, and dental structures. Unlike a simple X-ray study, it offers a much higher level of detail, creating computerized, 360-degree views of the body’s structures. Using CBCT your dentist can better evaluate exact tooth implant placement, as well as discover issues that a traditional x-ray could not such as certain issues with your gums, roots of teeth, jaw, as well as tonsils and other soft tissue.
Advantages to CBCT
When compared to a panoramic x-ray, a CBCT scanner provides many advantages such as:
- Providing incredibly accurate measurements which is useful for dental implants, the All-on-4®, and taking measurements for oral appliances.
- Detecting soft tissue issues that may indicate serious disease.
- Cuts radiation exposure dramatically compared to traditional CT or x-ray scans.
- Diagnosing airway sleep disorders.
- Identifying the precise location of an infection in your tooth.
- Evaluating your sinuses, nasal cavity, and nerve canal.
Our CBCT Scanner: The HyperionX9 Pro
Our scanner provides the highest resolution available on the market and is able to capture every detail up to 68 microns (0.068 mm) and allows us to work with an incredible degree of accuracy. It is able to perform very low dose analyses in seconds to keep your visit safe and speedy. With this incredible tool at our disposal Stubbs Dental is able to provide top-of-the-line and cutting-edge care, without the exorbitant costs.
Stubbs Dental is proud to be bringing the newest and best technology to all of our offices. The improved accuracy and precision enables us to create beautiful and well fitting prosthetics that look and feel incredible. We could not do this without our CBCT scanner, which we believe is an essential piece of equipment for any dentist office.
