What is a Cone Beam CT Scanner and Why is it Important for Dental Implants?

If you visit a dental implant dentist to inquire about implant treatment, then initially they will want to discuss all your options with you and can explain how the treatment works and how it could benefit your dental health and your smile. People who decide to proceed with treatment will then need some diagnostic tests, one of which is carried out using a cone beam CT scanner. A cone beam CT scanner is a sophisticated piece of technology that is essential when planning dental implant treatment.

Although your teeth and gums are easily visible, your jaws and face contain other structures that are hidden from view, but which are extremely important. These structures include nerves, blood vessels, and sinuses. When placing dental implants, it’s essential for your dental implant dentist to know the exact location of these hidden anatomical structures, and that’s why a cone beam

CT scanner is so useful.

Creating a 3D Image of Your Facial Structures

Conventional digital dental x-rays take detailed 2D images of your teeth and jaws, but a cone beam CT scanner takes 3-D images. The CT stands for computed tomography, and the scanner will take a series of digital x-rays which are then combined to produce a single highly detailed 3-D image. These high-tech machines can take a complete image of your teeth and jaws in just a few seconds, and in a way that is comfortable and non-invasive. What’s more, unlike a conventional CT scan, the radiation produced by a cone beam CT scanner is significantly smaller because the radiation is concentrated into a cone shape.

By taking a digital 3D scan of your jaws, your dentist can see the exact positioning of sinus cavities and can pinpoint the location of nerves. They can even assess the quality of your jawbone. It’s invaluable information because everybody’s facial anatomy is slightly different. Using this information, a dentist can precisely plan the position of each dental implant, and the entire procedure can be planned well in advance.

Determining If You Have Enough Bone for Dental Implants

One important thing that your dentist is looking for is whether you have sufficient bone to support dental implants. Quite often, people who lost teeth years ago or who have had severe gum disease will have insufficient bone to support dental implants properly. Usually, conventional dental implants need to be surrounded by several millimeters of bone which must be healthy and strong. When bone is lacking, your dentist may need to carry out a small additional procedure either before your dental implants are placed, or during the implant surgery. The procedure is a bone graft which can restore and build up bone in areas where it is deficient. The idea of a bone graft might sound dramatic, but it’s a standard procedure that is highly effective in helping to ensure dental implant treatment is successful, so don’t be concerned if your dentist tells you that you need a bone graft.

During this planning process, your dentist can assess the best location for each implant, and they will ensure that once the implant is restored with an implant crown, bridge or denture, that it looks great and functions correctly. By the time you are ready for implant surgery, every single stage of the procedure is precisely planned. It’s the type of planning that ensures your implant surgery is more predictable and successful and is quicker and less invasive. Afterward, healing should be faster and smoother. The actual plan for your surgery is transferred to a special type of guide that is used during implant insertion.

Custom-Made Surgical Guides

A custom-made surgical guide is manufactured to precisely replicate your treatment plan and fits over the contours of your gums and is made to fit the exact type of implants used during your surgery. Your dentist uses this guide to ensure that every dental implant is placed in the exact position, depth, and angle as planned. These guides are made individually in a dental lab or can be produced using advanced 3-D printing or other manufacturing processes. They allow the positioning of your dental implant to be incredibly precise, virtually eliminating human error.

What Happens If a Dentist Doesn’t Use a Cone Beam CT Scan?

Not all dentists will use a cone beam CT scan to plan dental implant treatment, and sometimes this can be perfectly okay is your implant dentist is highly skilled, and you only require one or two very straightforward dental implants. Using a cone beam CT scan becomes much more important if you require complicated treatment or need multiple dental implants, and where the precise positioning of each dental implant is absolutely vital for success. These days, an increasing number of dentists prefer computer-guided implant surgery, combining a cone beam CT scan with a surgical guide, and it is a factor to consider when you select your implant dentist.

Selecting the Best Dental Implant Dentist

When choosing your dental implant dentist, experience definitely counts, and it’s better to pick a dentist who has specialized training in placing dental implants and who routinely completes this type of oral surgery. A huge number of dentists now offer dental implants but may only place a few implants each year and might only have completed a short implant course rather than more specialized training.

Additionally, it’s better to choose a dentist who has lots of experience in placing numerous types of dental implants. Often, a less experienced dentist will stick to using just one or two different dental implant brands which may be fine for most situations, but you want to make sure you receive the very best treatment for your specific needs. Check that your dental implant dentist uses a well-known implant brand, as there are a few major companies that produce implant components, and which are renowned worldwide. These companies have invested extensively in researching and developing dental implants, using only high-quality materials. These are all things that can make a difference to the outcome and longevity of your treatment, as after all, you want to ensure you enjoy your dental implant treatment for many years to come and preferably for life.