CT Scans for Implants: How Do I Get Started?

Your local hospital can take the CT and send you the DICOM images on CD. You can assemble them yourself using EasyGuide from Keystone Dental, or use Materialese to assemble the 3D construction as well as go as far as you want them to go in implant treatment planning. The sales reps from Keystone, Columbia, and others are most helpful.

If you live and practice in a larger center you may find there are imaging centers where your patient can be referred to on a fee-for-service basis. You will not need to have third party software or even bring the Dicom file onto a computer screen as you can request printed sheets which will show the cross-sectional slices at 1 mm. intervals. This information is significantly valuable as to identifying bone volume and the proximity of risk structures. While it is nice and fun to manipulate 3D imagery on a computer monitor, it is time consuming, more costly and is not necessary for you to practice at an elevated level utilizing the benefit of CBCT.

I would definately NOT refer a patient to your local hospital. With the large number of Cone Beam scanners available you should be able to refer your patients to an imaging center or a practitioner who has a cone beam scanner. The radiation exposure from a medical CT is a factor of 15 times larger than a cone beam scanner. It is just not justifyable any more.

You are experienced implant dentist. Have you ever experienced that you doubt your treatment plans, such as the location, implant length, direction, plateform size--etc.before placing or after finishing implant surgeries? The CBCT will absolutely help you to visualize your plan. If you want to do a better treatment plan, predictable results, less stress,avoiding legal issues, get CBCT images. You may contact your local dental school dental radiology, local imaging centers or contact implant reps they can help you to do the most inexpensive ways. Good luck.

You can ask local radiology places if they can perform Dentscan. I am at NYC metro area. I have few choices. I bought Simplant software it work fine but costly. Or I can send pt to hospital having CBCT. There even is moblie service would willing tk X-ray at out side of youe office or pt's home,etc.Recently the 3-D Image Center send me back the glossy print so I dont even use my computer. Everything measurement is at that print. I dont even load Simplant CD. So you do some reserch shop arround you will be happy. Good luck.

There are currently 26 Mobile CBVI units in the States, they will come to your office and perform a scan. Most of these can also perform a conversion is a variety of 3rd party softwares dfields@afpimaging.com

We offer a comprehensive course in computer guided implantology in Houston Texas. if interested reach me offline at etsperio@swbell.net. Next course march 25-28, 2010

The sales reps from Keystone are very helpful, but do not forget to consider all factors of implant location, not just the bone. You will like using this diagnostic tool. It will be very helpful. Be careful of the Kodak reps they are as dumb as fence post.

Dr Callan - Are you sure ALL of the Kodak reps are "dumb as a fence post" or just the one in your area? I met one the other day, and although I didn't press him on intelligence he didn't appear to be THAT dumb! My question would be: Have any of you used the Kodak unit and software? Any problems?

dear dr. B, there is more to the story than just looking at a scan. first of all, you should be able to find an imaging center near your office, but if not, those doctors who mentioned the mobile scan idea have the answer. now...don't ever believe that it's safe to look at some photos of 1mm sagittal or axial views of a patients jaw and begin drillng holes. even though you will probably not penetrate a sinus or cut a mandibular nerve with your drill, you may be too close to the cortical plate, especially in the anterior of either max or mand and cause a dehiscence or sluffing of the cortical plate...a failure that can be very costly and might even lead to a lawsuite. so angulation of the drill is just as important as depth. you will need to study the axial view to ensure that as the drill descends/ascends toward the apical region of the drill site, that it is safely within the medullary or center of the jawbone (vertically), to keep from injuring the cortical plate and especiall on the lingual of the mandible where the lingual artery is located. but the most important reason for you to get the scan is to also GET THE SURGICAL GUIDE. this is the new 'standard of care' in implants. without it, you can still cause serious injuries. so pass on the cost to each of your patients and get a surgical guide made from the digital file of any good 3D software. Simplant is one of the best, Imtec is good and getting better, and the latest i would look at seriously is InVivo (Anatomage) in the silicon valley (san jose). Jerry Peck of C-Dental in San Francisco can guide you to someone in your part of the country, but with email and fed-ex, you can work with anyone. hope you start out with the full package so you won't get blown away by an accident. sincerely, dr. mike scott

Ken, You are correct, I am sure there are some good ones out there. I may have been too hasty in my judgement, but the one in this area knows nothing.