How Cone Beam Scanners Are Revolutionising Your Dental Experience
Posted on: 20 October 2016
If you're considering any cosmetic dentistry work you should know that dentists have been investing in revolutionary new technology to make your experience far more pleasant and their work far more accurate. How does cone beam technology help in this regard?
Small and Practical
Typical CT scanners are very large pieces of equipment and are far too bulky and impractical for use in any dentist's office. However, the latest cone beam CT scanners are quite the opposite. They were specifically designed for use in an office and use pinpoint radiation rather than the "fan" approach used by the conventional scanner.
How Does It Work?
The CT scan is conducted with the patient sitting still for about 20 seconds, while the scanner moves around from one side of the head to the other. The dentist will have a lot of information once the scans have been taken. They will be able to determine whether the density of the bone at specific locations is sufficient to support the implant and deal with the biting pressures.
They will also have a very precise "map" of the patient's sinuses and nerves, so they know exactly where to work.
Advantages of the New Approach
The main advantage is that they will be able to make a confident decision about the stability of the implant based on the density and augmentation of the bone at the specific site. Before, the patient would rely mostly on the dentist's experience and "feel" with the old type of x-ray.
Scripted in Advance
Also, the software is able to create a surgical placement guide for the dentist. These systems come up with a detailed analysis so that the dentist can plan the procedure carefully in advance. They will be able to use the software in order to determine the specific type of implant, the depth to which it should be placed and the angle it should be inserted. The entire procedure can be scripted ahead of time in very fine detail.
Helping Guides
Guides are created using the software which are then placed on the specific location within the patient's mouth. This allows the dentist to drill through the guide with an extremely high confidence that the procedure is being conducted in the proper position.
See the Result in Advance
One of the main advantages to the patient apart from precision is that the dentist is now able to create a precise picture of exactly how the implant will look before the surgery commences. This means that the patient will not have any surprises or disappointments, post-surgery.
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