Digital Radiography and CBCT Scans

Digital Radiography

Our practice uses digital x-rays because they have many benefits over films.  We use the Kodak digital x-ray system which; yields the highest resolution digital radiographs in the industry, allows us to expose our patients to less radiation, provides images that can be enhanced so that we can better see the problem area, saves time, makes it easier for us to show the images to you, is environmentally friendly, and does not generate bio hazardous waste.

                 

CBCT Scans

Endodontics is the branch of dentistry that deals with the cause, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases of the tooth root, dental pulp, and surrounding tissues.  Since most of the areas addressed in endodontics cannot be seen during a clinical examination, radiographs are an essential tool in helping the endodontist (root canal specialist) visualize areas that cannot be seen when looking in the mouth.  However, conventional dental radiographs are only two dimensional images and are limited in their usefulness because they frequently do not allow the endodontist to see the entire tooth, the complexity of the root and canal anatomy, and the pattern and extent of the loss of tooth structure or surrounding bone.  In many cases this lack of information hinders the endodontist’s ability to accurately diagnose certain conditions, and to predict the chance of success or failure for a proposed treatment.

Endodontists have long dreamed about being able to visualize, in 3 Dimensions, the area to be diagnosed and treated.  Well, that day has arrived.  In our office, we are fortunate to have one of the only Carestream Dental 9000 3D Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) Systems in Central New York.  The 9000 3D Extraoral Imaging System boasts the highest resolution and lowest radiation in its class.  This system allows capture of clear, detailed, anatomically correct 3D images in seconds.

Within our practice we have found that a CBCT scan often allows us to see areas that were previously hidden when examining conventional films alone.  Because we firmly believe that through the use of CBCT scans we are able to provide better care to our patients than what was possible prior to the introduction of the CBCT technology, we would like all of our patients who have conditions that may benefit from a CBCT scan to be able to have access to the scan.

Click here to view “Some Interesting CBCT Findings”