Before being scheduled for dental surgery, a lot of patients will be booked in to have dental CT scans taken of their mouth and jaw.
A computed tomography scan or CT scan can be thought of as a more advanced form of X-ray, that uses carefully positioned scans that a computer turns into a 3D image, allowing for more precise preparation for dental procedures.
It is a quick, painless test, but in order for the test to be completed quickly and accurately, here are some items of clothing to avoid wearing on the day of your test.
Polo Neck Or Turtleneck Jumpers
Loose-fitting clothes are the best choice when you are having a scan, so you should avoid wearing a tie, a polo neck fit jumper or a turtleneck, as you may be asked to remove them so the test can be completed accurately.
Any Head Jewellery
If you have earrings, hair clips, headbands or necklaces that are made of metal, they can interfere with the X-ray and by extension the CT scan as a whole.
Let the radiographer know if you have complex jewellery that is difficult to take out or put back on.
Glasses, Dentures And Hearing Aids
Dentures, besides often having metal frames, also could affect the overall scan, so it is important to see the teeth and gum line as it really is.
Glasses have metal frames that can affect the CT scan, and wearing a hearing aid whilst the CT scan is on can be particularly painful due to the potential for interference.
As with complex pieces of jewellery, let the radiographer know if you have a cochlear implant or similarly difficult-to-remove hearing aid, to ensure that it can easily be refitted if it needs to be removed, or the test can be adjusted to ensure that the hearing aid does not affect it.