CT Dentascan

CT DENTASCAN

In the past several years the science of dental implants has greatly advanced. As a result there is an increasing need for involvement by radiologists who work in concert with oral surgeons (implantologists) in treatment planning. Dental implants are metallic (titanium) cylinders that are surgically implanted into the jaw to permit the fixation of permanent prosthetic teeth. The success of this procedure requires the oral surgeon to know the precise anatomy in the area of desired implantation. For example, in the lower jaw or mandible the precise location of the mandibular canal (this contains a major nerve and blood vessels) is critical. For the maxilla or upper jaw, the location of the bottom or floor of the maxillary sinuses is necessary. It is important to understand that the anatomy of these bones and surrounding structures is unique to each patient. In addition, diseased teeth affect the quantity and quality of bone surrounding them, which in turn can determine the type of procedure to be performed, the type and size of implant to be inserted, and ultimately the degree of success.

Routine panoramic radiographs are not optimal for this type of evaluation. They are unable to determine the width of the mandible and have up to 25% distortion. Conventional computed tomography (CT) is also limited because the anatomy imaged is not formatted in a manner, which can assist the surgeon. To improve imaging of the mandible (lower jaw) and maxilla (upper jaw), a CT dental program was developed by Columbia Scientific, a leader in this field, which displays multiple axial, panoramic and cross sectional images of the jaw required by oral surgeons. Today, this program is being used extensively for evaluating patients with dental implants; it can also be used for the evaluation of cysts, tumors, and fractures in the jaw.

IMAGING FOR HEALTH uses the latest generation CT scanner (termed a multidetector scanner) coupled with the latest version of the Columbia Scientific software producing very precise results. The examination is very simple and painless, requires no preparation and can easily be performed in a matter of minutes. The data is then processed on a sophisticated workstation. Experienced radiologists from Nassau Radiologic Group, who work very closely with your oral surgeon, interpret the examinations.