Cone Beam in the Dental Laboratory

As a testament to their commitment to implant dentistry, a few innovative laboratory owners have purchased cone beam CT scanners to scan implant patients in-house and offer the ultimate diagnostic tool to dentist-clients.

Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT)--a new generation of CT technology--made its debut in implant dentistry at the beginning of this decade. Providing a true, three-dimensional reproduction of the patient's anatomy, cone beam CT scans are becoming the optimum tool for implant treatment planning, allowing the dental team to precisely analyze bone density, see anatomical interferences and use measurements that correspond exactly to the patient's anatomy. As a result, CBCT machines have started appearing in dental radiology centers and even in some dentists' and specialists' offices around the country.

Now, they're also appearing in a more unexpected place: dental laboratories. A few innovative laboratory owners with long histories...