THE DIGITAL STREAM

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.

I’ve been a big advocate for computer-aided restoration/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) restorations for a number of years; in fact, I have used several systems in my office during my quest to find the perfect solution for my needs. The reason for these efforts is due to the many benefits that performing restorations onsite has extended to my office.

After being involved in a four wheeler accident, a 25-year-old male came into my implant dentistry practice complaining of pain in the upper left side of his mouth. Initially, I captured a 2D periapical image, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Because of this, I decided to take a CBCT scan to get the bigger picture.