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3D diagnostics in orofacial region

Scientific and clinical advances in all fields of medicine are, to a great extent, based on development and practical usage of advanced technological systems. During the past 30 years, three dimensional (3D) diagnostics has been used in virtually all branches of medical practice. However, the inherently high levels of x-ray radiation have limited the application of computerized tomography (CT) in orofacial region only to emergency cases such as tumor diagnostics. The ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achiveable) principle – the fundamental principle of radiological diagnostics – prevented practical application of 3D CT diagnostics in daily clinical practice in dental medicine. Because of these limitations, a concerted effort was undertaken towards development of diagnostic methodologies that would retain the advantages of CT diagnostics while reducing the concomitant doses of radiation, and thus enhance their diagnostic value and ethical acceptability. The application of conic-beam-based CT instruments (CBCT – Cone Beam Computer Tomography), enabled wider application of 3D diagnostics in dental medicine and, primarily, orofacial surgery. Awareness of the 3rd dimension and the spatial relationships of anatomical structures greatly facilitates the planning of surgical procedures and reduces their inherent risks. Furthermore, it allows a more thorough understanding of the proposed therapeutic procedures by the patient, enables asessment of the quality and quantity of bony structures, and reduces the chances of peri/post operative complications. CBCT methodology features lower relative radiation doses, a high resolution of quantitative and qualitative details, and simple, economical manipulation of images. CBCT is based on two- dimensional conic beam and a wide array of sensors with the imaging angle greater than 400 degrees. Radiation exposure is significantly reduced by the usage of pulse exposure and data analysis algorithms based on a wide digital panel that simultaneously receives data from all imaging angles and calculates the exact values of the imaged structures. Due to its significant advantages compared to two- dimensional radiological diagnostic methods, the application od 3D diagnostics is expanding to virtually all branches of dental medicine. Also, based on its high acurracy and precision, the CBCT technology holds great potential for future applictions in scientific research.

3D diagnostics, orofacial region

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