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G iven how crucial early diagnosis is to assess- ing a patient’s health concerns, advance- ments in medical technology give doctors a significant advantage when it comes to developing effective treatment plans. In the field of dentistry, these advancements include a variety of new diagnostic imaging techniques. But in recent years, people have been more concerned about the radiation ex- posure incurred in various parts of their lives, which is why radiologists have developed technology that retrieves the most comprehensive information while subjecting patients to the lowest amount of radiation exposure possible, or ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable). Here, I will introduce the concept of Cone Beam Computed Tomog - raphy (CBCT), an approach that provides the greatest degree of accuracy and variety among the diagnostic im- aging techniques in dentistry. What is CBCt? Dental diagnostic imaging is used for diagnosis and eval- uation of diseases found in teeth, the alveolar bone, jaws and facial bones. Unlike conventional Computed Tomog- raphy (CT), CBCT can provide images of the head and face alone, offering doctors very high-resolution visuals that can lead to more accurate diagnoses. CBCT also re- quires less than one-third of the radiation exposure that CT technology uses. Because of this advantage, CBCT is now becoming commonplace for dental professionals worldwide. When is CBCt used? CBCT can be focused on a small field covering three to four teeth or a field large enough to cover the whole face, depending on the clinical need. The different classifica- tions of CBCT are as follows: implant CBCt CBCT technology is useful for identifying and surveying the anatomical structures that are near the implant sites after having teeth pulled. In these instances, the use o f CBCT can reduce complications following the subsequent implant surgery and can help improve the success of treatment plans. In addition, these images can be used for pre-surgical simulations, as well as the making of surgical stents (devices to help keep blocked passageways open). Jaw CBCt This is used to identify the location of sensitive nerves pri- or to tooth extraction, as well as spotting infections, cysts, tumors and issues with the temporomandibular joint (the hinge of one’s jaw). tooth CBCt When there are ongoing problems involving a patient’s root canal, CBCT can be used to identify whether or not a procedure has been successful and whether or not addi - tional treatment is needed. It is also used for the detection of impacted or unnecessary teeth. facial CBCt (3-d) In the event that a patient is planning to have orthognathic or bimaxillary surgery (jaw realignment), CBCT is used to create a 3-D reconstruction of the whole face to allow for a simulation before the operation and a comparative analysis afterward. reduced radiation exposure As mentioned above, images generated using CBCT technology are able to provide nearly the same picture quality as traditional CT, but with reduced radiation expo- sure — a chief concern of radiologists. In addition to minimizing risk, CBCT provides high-reso- lution images that can identify minute bone changes and intra-bone structures between 0.1 and 0.5 mm in size, which are more difficult to identify using CT. For these reasons, the use of CBCT technology is very helpful for early diagnosis of mouth and jaw diseases, a welcome advancement to the field of dentistry. Dental imaging technology the next generation of early diagnosis For more information or reservations, call Ms. Kelly Soe, the English coordinator at Yonsei University Dental Hospital. +82 2 2228 8998 +82 2 363 0396 idc@yuhs.ac 50-1 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul www.yuhs.or.kr/ en/hospitals/dent_ hospital/Conserv_ dentist/Intro COLuMN • yonseI unIVersIty DentaL hospItaL Hyok Park, Clinical associate professor Dept. of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology Yonsei University College of Dentistry