When a dentist opts for a complex treatment such as dental implants or all-on-four, they will need to see your jawline beneath your teeth and gums, to make sure that the treatment is suitable and precisely placed.
Your dentist has a few options, but the most popular and well used is the computerised tomography (CT) scan.
What Is A Dental CT Scan?
Dental CT scans work similarly in many ways to a CT scan used in hospitals. A CT scan works by taking a series of x-ray digital images that a computer stitches together to make a three-dimensional image of your head, face and neck.
It has an incredibly high degree of accuracy and is suitable for use in planning for surgeries.
The difference between a dental CT scan and a hospital CT scan is that the beam is cone-shaped and less powerful. The reason for this is that for dental treatments the main focus is jaw structure rather than soft tissue structures and muscles.
What Is A CT Scan Used For?
The primary purpose of a CT scan is for planning dental surgical treatments, particularly dental implants. As implants are attached to the existing bone structure, the bone structure must be strong enough to handle it.
A CT scan checks the bone quality and density, and allows for accurate implant placement to ensure your implants bed effectively and last a long time.
It can also help for checking whether a sinus lift or bone graft is needed before treatment, as well as checking for jaw tumours and seeing whether chronic jaw pain comes from.