CT Scans & 3D Views of the Jaws

PLANMECA ProMax 3D Digital X-ray

Contemporary Dental Implant Centre continues to stay at the forefront in dentistry always delivering the highest quality of service and results to our patients. We do that by keeping informed on the most up-to-date advanced techniques and equipment available. Once again, we have done this by the addition of our cutting edge Pro Max 3D CT scan. This is an x-ray machine that takes 3D views of the jaw.

No longer do any of our patients have to go to a radiology center for CT scan of the jaw, we can do it right here in our office. It delivers 3D images for the most accurate in office measuring capabilities of x-ray to date. This enables our team of dentists to precisely measure the height and width of bone prior to surgery. It allows us to locate bone structure such as nerves and follow their path through the inside jaw bone with greater precision than ever before.

This Pro Max 3D CT scan significantly reduces the effective patient radiation dose and has less radiation then that of multiple dental x-rays. This additional imaging can allow us to develop the best implant and maxillofacial solution and treatment plan for you.

Promax 3D CT Scanner

How Cone Beam works:

Cone beam X-rays produce 3D image data of the whole volume in one scan. The rotation of the scanner may be as little as 180 degrees – that is a half circle around the patient’s head – or varying degrees of rotation up to 360 degrees. Some machines perform a second rotation to create a larger volume by “stitching” two smaller volumes together. As the machine rotates the radiation is pulsed and each pulse results in image data. Usually more than one pulse is generated for each angle of rotation; for example a machine with a rotation of 194 degrees may generate 300 images to complete the data set. Also if the rotation time is for example 17 seconds, the sum of the pulses may only add up to 6 seconds of actual radiation exposure. The image data is captured by a sensor and the manufacturer’s proprietary software is then employed to study and analyze the scan. Usually this scan data can also be converted to a DICOM format so the scan can be exported to a third party software program such as N-Liten 3D or Simplant to further display and manipulate the image. Scans in the DICOM format are exported over the internet to third parties for such services as Simplant conversions, reports by oral and maxillofacial radiologists and the construction of implant surgical guides and body parts by various rapid prototyping or stereolithography services. The scans can also be put into viewer software and copied to a CD so other parties may view the images without the need to purchase software. Viewer software included with the various 3D imaging software usually includes a number of useful tools like making 1:1 measurements which are very accurate.