Here at Seacoast Dental Centre, we always want to ensure that patients benefit from the most up-to-date diagnostic technologies. This is why we’ve invested in one of the most advanced, and more importantly one of the safest Cone Beam 3-D CT Scanners available today. Most CT scanners produce a near cylindrical or cylindrical field. In contrast, ours, a Morita Veraviewpocs 3D R100, produces a softened triangular view, ensuring we don’t need to use any unnecessary radiation to obtain superb quality images.
A dental Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CT) scanner is a special type of x-ray, providing a highly detailed 3-D image of your teeth, soft tissues, nerves and bone. (On the largest scan field of view) the scanner produces an x-ray beam in the shape of a cone (concave triangle) and it emits less radiation than a conventional CT scan.
Our Cone Beam CT Scanner is invaluable when diagnosing and planning certain treatments and lets us give you the very highest level of care. We’ll suggest a CT scan if you have problems with your wisdom teeth or when we need to plan root canal therapy and it is essential when planning dental implant treatments. By having this equipment on-site, we can provide you with an accurate diagnosis and the most appropriate treatment more quickly and more effectively.
This machine enables Dr. Cadigan to take highly detailed and incredibly clear 3-D images of your teeth and jaws. We can take a scan of both your upper and lower jaws, or we can focus on smaller areas of concern, an option that’s particularly useful for endodontics (root canal therapy) and for periodontics and general dentistry.
Normally, a CT scan can emit slightly more radiation than a normal digital x-ray, but our machine has a Dose Reduction Mode which lowers the exposure rate for more easily penetrated tissues by up to 60%. This is one of the reasons why we chose this particular model as your safety is always our priority. You are only likely to require a CT scan very occasionally and these images can provide tremendous benefits.
A CT scan is quick and comfortable. You will simply need to remove any jewellery, glasses and anything metal, and you must remain still while the image is being taken which is only a few seconds. During this time your chin will be comfortably supported on a special rest and the arm of the machine will pass around you as the image is taken. It is very non-invasive and a lot more comfortable than a typical x-ray procedure.
Sample image from Seacoast Dental Centre’s Veraview 3D CT Scanner. Click image to enlarge.
Dental implants need to be very carefully planned and your CT scan is a vital part of this process. It will allow Dr. Cadigan to assess the quality and quantity of your jawbone, as dental implants need to be surrounded by a certain amount of healthy bone in order to be successful. Additionally, a CT scan shows the location of sinus cavities, nerves and blood vessels within the jaw in great detail. Viewing these structures prior to surgery allows us to tailor our plans to suit your individual needs.
This critical information enables Dr. Cadigan to pinpoint the optimal position for your dental implants. By carefully planning your treatment we can ensure the final results will look aesthetically pleasing and are fully functional. Planning helps ensure your implant surgery proceeds smoothly, so surgery will be completed quickly, effectively and more comfortably.
Our 3D CT Scanner offers a variety of ways to quickly and safely look at your teeth. The triangular and cone-shaped scanning areas minimize the effect of radiation during scans. Click image to enlarge.
A badly infected tooth requires urgent treatment if the tooth is to be saved. With our CT scanner we can soon take an image that will focus just on the tooth to be treated. It will allow us to see the extent of the infection and the number, shape and size of the root canals in far greater clarity than a normal 2-D x-ray. This information will help ensure your treatment is more successful by allowing Dr. Cadigan to quickly identify and treat all the infected areas.
Wisdom tooth problems are very common and the 3-D image provided by a CT scan is extremely useful when planning their removal. Using this image, Dr. Cadigan will be able to see the size and shape of the roots and the location of the adjacent teeth. Your treatment will be faster and more comfortable, which in turn could enable quicker healing.
If you would like any more information about our Cone Beam CT scanner, then please contact us using our convenient feedback form or by phone at 604-271-5622.
