If you’re missing teeth or your teeth are seriously failing you and you’re contemplating dental implants then you’ll likely find that one of the first stages of the procedure involves a 3-D CT scan. Here at Sheen Dental we’ve been carrying out dental implants in Richmond for a great number of years and thought we’d explain just how this exciting technology works. A CT scan produces cutting edge digital images which give us a clear picture of the condition of your teeth and surrounding bone. It also helps us create the best treatment plan for your individual needs.
Using the set of computer-generated images which we get from the scan, we can create a virtual three dimensional mock-up of your jaws, teeth and surrounding area. Having this 3-D model is just like having an exact replica of your mouth in front of us and it allows us to zoom in or out, move it around, examine it, and even perform trial ‘surgery’ all without any invasive procedures.
This advanced technology means we can plan your treatment with military style precision. We can clearly see the condition of your teeth and from this we can determine the size and type of implants you should have and where they should be placed and oriented. We plan to place the implants in areas where the greatest support is offered plus we avoid areas of low bone density, sinuses and nerves in the jaw.
Once it would have taken exploratory surgery to find out the location and condition of the anatomical structures in your mouth but nowadays we use CT scans or computed tomography which uses a small level of radiation to create a 3-D image of bones and tissue with different shades representing various densities.
What’s it like to have a 3D CT scan?
The dentist will ask you to remain sitting perfectly still in the chair while the 3-D CT scan takes place. So that is can create a virtual model of your mouth and jaw, the scanner slowly rotates around your head taking between 150-600 images. While you receive a small dose of radiation it’s far less than you would receive in a medical CT scan conducted in a hospital. In fact it’s roughly the equivalent of having a full-mouth series of standard dental X-rays.
For us dentists at Sheen Dental, the 3-D CT scan is indispensable and lets us see hidden structures in the mouth that aren’t visible to the naked eye in order to plan the optimum treatment for each individual. It reduces the need for invasive procedures, shortens the treatment time, and assures the best chance of a successful outcome.
If you’d like to find out more about having a dental implant in Richmond, then why not book a free no-obligation consultation where you can meet the team and take a look at our state-of-the-art technology and comfortable, relaxing environment. Simply call us on 020 8876 5277 or visit the website at www.sheendental.co.uk for more information.