What are some common uses of the procedure?
Dental cone beam CT is commonly used for treatment planning of orthodontic issues. It is also useful for more complex cases that involve:
- surgical planning for impacted teeth.
- diagnosing temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ).
- accurate placement of dental implants.
- evaluation of the jaw, sinuses, nerve canals and nasal cavity.
- detecting, measuring and treating jaw tumors.
- determining bone structure and tooth orientation.
- locating the origin of pain or pathology.
- cephalometric analysis.
- reconstructive surgery.
How should I prepare?
A cone beam CT examination requires no special preparation.
Prior to the examination, you may be asked to remove anything that may interfere with the imaging, including metal objects, such as jewelry, eyeglasses, hairpins and hearing aids. Although removable dental work may need to be removed, it is advisable to bring these to your examination, as your dentist or oral surgeon may need to examine these as well.
Women should always inform their dentist or oral surgeon if there is any possibility that they are pregnant. See the Safety page for more information about pregnancy and x-rays.