THE DIGITAL STREAM

It is no longer a debatable fact that three-dimensional imaging is the standard of care when it comes to the surgical component of implant placement.1 The key here is to understand the value of achieving the three-dimensional view, simply phrased as the depth component of the visual anatomy. CBCT images are valuable to understand the topography and—more importantly—the inner component of the osseous structures.

While most of the scans you read will fall into the “normal anatomy” category, the logical next step in the journey of learning how to interpret data sets from cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging is developing proficiency at deciphering anatomical variations. These variations can often be seen in intraoral and extraoral radiography, and it is sometimes helpful to use 3D radiography to fully understand certain variations; which otherwise could result in failure to diagnose.

The acquisition of CBCT scans is probably one of the most mundane tasks, but it is an important part of the imaging process. Post-acquisition involves viewing and interpreting the scans. Although the maxillofacial region is complex, by virtue of familiarity, most dentists can interpret this area very efficiently despite the complex nature of anatomy and variances in this region.

As dental professionals learn more about the many clinical uses of cone beam computed technology (CBCT) and the benefits of having an in-office system provides, the popularity of 3D imaging systems is growing—and with that, so are the requirements for accreditation. At the moment, the number of practices required to have CBCT accreditation is limited.

Most of us are already familiar with pixels; after all, one of the first questions that we may ask when picking out a digital camera or computer monitor is how many pixels it has.  When it comes to digital radiography, the pixels still apply, but are limited to two dimensional images, such as intraoral and extraoral radiographs. In three-dimensional radiography, such as CBCT imaging, the complimentary unit is referred to as voxel.

The first clinical CT scanners were installed in hospitals and clinics starting in 1974, though the early models were used only for scanning the head. Whole body systems became available in 1976. CBCT technology, in turn, got its start in 1993 after GE developed the first CT based on light-intensifier technology.