While standard digital x-rays are excellent for routine check ups and most dental procedures, they are limited in the amount of information that can be observed. This is due to the fact that they only show a two dimensional representation of the three dimensional structures in our mouths. For some cases it is necessary to view a portion of the mouth in three dimensions. Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) is an advanced, state of the art technology that produces 3D images and promises to change the way many dental problems are diagnosed and treated.
For your dentist, it offers the ability to visualize intricate structures inside the mouth, such as root canals, bone levels, nerves, and sinuses in the jaw, all without surgery. This allows for more precise planning, reducing the need for invasive procedures, shortening treatment time, and creating better, faster, and more predictable outcomes. Using CBCT as a diagnostic tool can reduce side effects and post-operative complications dramatically. The detailed diagnostic images that CBCT provides have made it an essential tool in many dental specialties such as oral surgery, root canal treatment, orthodontics, and dental implants. While CBCT provides the dentist with many advantages it delivers a smaller dose of radiation (x-rays) than many other diagnostic tests.
Radiographs use radiation, which should be minimized as much as possible. However, a set of digital dental x-rays will emit around 5 microsieverts (µSv) of radiation. For comparison, a flight from New York to Los Angeles will emit 40 µSv. The average amount of radiation a person in the United States is exposed to in a year from natural sources such as the earth, air, food, and water is 6,200 µSv. Although dental radiographs emit very little radiation by comparison, we still take all precautions utilizing lead aprons to block excess radiation, using radiograph machines specifically designed to minimize scatter, and only taking radiographs that are necessary for maintaining your oral health.
New York Total Dental offers cosmetic dentistry and general dentistry services including full mouth rehabilitation, Invisalign, dental implants, orthodontics, veneers, periodontics gum treatment, teeth whitening, crowns and bridges, teeth fillings, and dental cleaning to Midtown Manhattan, Upper Manhattan, Lower Manhattan, and Downtown Manhattan in New York City.