Oral surgeons take care of many oral health issues, but while dentists might look at the surface of the teeth for cleanings and fillings, an oral surgeon often uses a dental CT scan to delve deeper into the many elements of the mouth that are not as easily visible. Patients may need one for various reasons.
If your oral surgeon recommends a CT scan, the process is simple: The machine will project an invisible beam into the mouth’s tissues, which can show a more detailed image than is achievable via X-ray. With this scan, an oral surgeon can visualize bone and tooth tissue, blood vessels, and nerves in the area.
Oral surgeons recommend dental CT scans when patients present with specific symptoms and oral health issues. They may also suggest scans in preparation for procedures and restorations. The reasons that patients may undergo a dental CT scan include the following.
For individuals on track to replace one or more missing teeth with an implant, an oral surgeon will typically recommend a dental CT scan to check the jawbone’s anatomy in that area. An implant requires healthy gum and jaw tissue and sufficient jawbone density to hold the implant post in place.
A dental CT scan will reveal whether the patient has enough strong bone to enable the dental implant to fuse properly. The scan can also clarify any blood vessels and nerves that might interfere with the implant process so the surgeon can plan appropriately for the day of the surgery.
If patients complain of localized pain, gum swelling, an aching jawbone, or bite issues, oral surgeons often request a dental CT scan to identify the source of the problem. X-rays cannot readily visualize soft tissue, but the beam from a CT can show the underlying problem causing the symptoms.
Most often, the problems shown on a CT scan include abscesses, cysts, tumors, and broken tooth roots. Oral surgeons can find these issues before they present with more advanced, visible signs that are more difficult to treat.
Like implant planning, oral surgeons often use dental CT scans to prepare for surgical procedures. For example, if a patient is experiencing pain and impaction from a wisdom tooth that is not erupting properly, the CT scan can reveal the problematic shape of the anatomy in the area and the direction in which the tooth is facing. As a result, the surgeon can prepare for either breaking the wisdom tooth apart or extracting it whole, depending on the situation.
Patients often worry about whether a CT scan is painful, but rest assured that it is not. In fact, the process is entirely painless, and it takes less than a minute. First, the surgeon will ask the patient to remove any metal, including earrings, jewelry, and removable retainers with metal pieces. The CT will not cause any harm to the metal, but it will show up on the scan and could block part of the picture, which will interfere with the surgeon’s ability to read the scan.
Second, the patient will sit still in front of the machine. Depending on the type of machine that the oral surgeon uses, they may ask the person to bite down on a thin rod to keep their jaw in the same place throughout the scan. Then, the CT machine will spin around the patient’s head, projecting invisible energy into the facial area and interpreting this energy when it returns to the machine. The CT scanner makes noise, but it is not loud or bothersome for most people.
The spinning process takes between 20 and 40 seconds. Afterward, the patient can get up and replace any metal items that they removed.
An oral surgeon may recommend that you get a dental CT scan as part of routine treatment or in preparation for in-depth procedures and surgeries. A dental CT scan is simple, painless, and quick, so there is no need to worry. If you have any questions about what CT scans are used for or how to prepare for an upcoming scan, please do not hesitate to reach out! Our office is happy to help you, from answering questions to scheduling your appointment for a CT scan.
Request an appointment here: https://arroyogrande.centralcoastoms.com or call Wilson Oral Surgery at (805) 476-2567 for an appointment in our Arroyo Grande office.
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