There’s no denying that the dental field has come a long way in recent years. Modern technology has enhanced every aspect of the dental experience and allowed patients to get faster, better results – with less discomfort. It’s definitely a win-win situation! One great example is cone beam technology, which gives your dentist in Lincoln a dramatically better image of your head, neck and oral cavity than traditional X-rays. In this blog, you’ll find out more about what this technology is and how the superior image it provides leads to better results for you!
What Is Cone Beam Technology?
Before answering this question, it’s helpful to point out that the goal of taking any image of your head, neck and mouth is to help dentists see all the structures they can’t see with their eyes alone.
Unfortunately, traditional X-rays can only show a 3-dimensional structure (your mouth) in a 2-dimensional way. As you can imagine, there are significant limitations to that!
Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) is similar to an X-ray but it has some key differences. It actually provides a 3-D image of the head, neck, mouth and throat, so it can show these structures much more precisely than X-rays.
Also, whereas traditional X-rays only capture hard tissues such as the teeth and bones, CBCT provides an image of the soft tissues as well, such as the tongue, throat, cartilage and nerves.
What Procedures Is CBCT Used For?
Here are just some of the procedures that benefit from the increased accuracy of CBCT imaging:
- Dental implants
- Root canals
- Diagnosing and treating sleep apnea
- TMJ disorder
What Advantages Does CBCT Offer Patients?
A CBCT image provides a dentist with a great deal more information than 2-dimensional X-rays. They then use that information to more quickly and accurately diagnose any issues you’re having and determine the best treatment.
In addition to better diagnosis and treatment planning, the procedure itself can be done with more precision as well. For example, it’s much easier to see exactly where a dental implant should be placed with a CBCT image than with an X-ray alone.
Simply put, seeing a dentist in Lincoln who uses this technology is a great way to make sure your dental procedure is done the right way – right from the start.
When you decide to invest in your oral health, it makes sense to have every advantage to ensure the long-term success of your procedure!
About the Author
Dr. Louis Olberding is an award-winning dentist in Lincoln who is always on the lookout for technology that gives his patients better results and increased comfort. In particular, he loves the accuracy and precision he gets from using cone beam technology and uses it for several of his most common procedures. If you have any questions, he can be reached via his website or at (402) 488-2325.