As in other medical specialties, dentistry also requires the use of technology. The use of them can help to provide a better and more personalized treatment for the client.

One of the advances that has helped dental treatment the most is dental CT. Thanks to it, an accurate diagnosis can be made and effective and faster results can be achieved.

Dental CT, or also called computerized axial tomography, is a special type of diagnostic test used when normal facial or dental x-rays are not sufficient. With this device it is possible to obtain 3D images of the teeth and jaw bones, both upper and lower.

What is a Dental CT used for?

CT helps us to study and view the nerve structures and bones in the craniofacial region in a single scan. The images obtained allow for more accurate treatment planning. Its use is quite widespread in the specialty of implantology.

It is not routinely used because the radiation exposure from this scanner is significantly higher than normal dental X-rays.

When a Dental CT is performed

The detailed images provided by the test help to evaluate diseases of the jaws and bony structures of the face.

It is commonly used for:

• Accurate placement of dental implants.
• Surgical planning for impacted teeth.
• Diagnosis of temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ).
• Detect, measure and treat jaw tumors.
• Localization of the origin of the pain or pathology.
• Bone regeneration.

How this test is performed

For its correct performance, it will only be necessary to remove any type of metallic object such as jewelry, hairpins or glasses. This is a painless test in which the patient must be completely immobile for 20 to 40 seconds alone.

In this short time, the X-ray source and detector will rotate around the patient to obtain the best image of teeth and bones.