Cone Beam 3D X-Rays
Wausau, WI
Dental exams are essential for determining the condition of your mouth. They enable us to spot a variety of different issues and pinpoint the cause of specific symptoms. During your exam, we closely inspect everything inside your mouth. While we can view your teeth, gums, and soft tissues, there are many important components in your mouth that we cannot see. Examining these hidden structures is important for accurately diagnosing different issues and providing you with the best possible treatment plans. At Wanserski Dental Center for Complex Dentistry, we can see these hidden components with cone beam 3D X-rays.
3-Dimensional Imaging of Your Mouth
A cone beam 3D X-ray is a digital imaging technology that shows us the hidden structures within your mouth. As the name suggests, we can capture a digital 3-dimensional image. The technology is similar to that of digital X-rays. The images produced, however, are more akin to those captured by a CAT scan. The machine consists of an X-ray beam shaped like a cone. This beam moves in a full circle around your head. As the X-ray beam moves, it captures a series of images. The computer pieces these images into a single 3-dimensional picture of the structures within your mouth, which is displayed on a computer monitor. With cone beam 3D X-rays, we can see teeth, bone, soft tissue, nerve passages, nasal passages, joints, and more.
Why Do I Need a Cone Beam 3D X-Ray?
There are several reasons why a cone beam 3D X-ray may need to be taken. These images can show us the condition of your jawbone. This can be very helpful for dental implant treatment planning. By evaluating your jawbone, optimal implant placement can before. The image can also help determine if you need a bone graft before undergoing implant surgery.
Cone beam 3D X-rays can help us to determine the presence of impacted wisdom teeth, impacted canines, or other impacted teeth. This can allow for proper treatment planning. We can use a cone beam 3D X-ray to evaluate nasal passageways and sinus cavities or determine the cause of TMJ disorder. The image can also help plan effective TMJ treatment or reconstructive surgery.
How is a Cone Beam 3D X-Ray Done?
Cone beam 3D X-rays are incredibly simple, straightforward, and painless. Before you get your scan, you will first need to remove anything metal that you are wearing, including jewelry, hair clips and ties, glasses, and hearing aids. Once ready, you sit at the machine. There is a specific location where you will rest your chin. We make the necessary adjustments so that we can capture the best image possible.
The scan itself takes less than 60 seconds to complete. As the X-ray beam moves, however, it is essential that you remain still. When the scan is over, the computer pieces the images together and a single 3D scan is displayed almost immediately on a monitor.
Cone Beam 3D X-Ray Benefits
The process is fast and completely painless. We get a high-quality image that shows us the many hidden components of your mouth, including tooth roots, jawbone, joints, soft tissues, nasal passages, and more. We can then use specialized software to zoom in on and enhance, specific areas of the image for a closer look. The image can be rotated in a variety of ways, enabling us to see your mouth from different angles. All of these features enable us to provide you with the best possible treatment to optimize your oral health.
Cone beam 3D X-rays enable us to more closely examine the hidden structures of your mouth so that we can accurately diagnose different issues and optimize your treatment plan. Call Wanserski Dental Center for Complex Dentistry at (715) 848-2435 today for more information. |
