We are very lucky here at Woodborough House to have all of the latest equipment. This is greatly beneficial for both staff and patients, enabling treatment plans to be as efficient and precise as possible.
Our Cone Beam CT Scanner (CBCT Scanner) is no exception to this! We have now had this brilliant piece of equipment in the practice for 4 years and during that time it has been used every day to aid treatment plans. The only other scanner of this kind is at the Royal London Hospital. This clever piece of equipment takes a 3D x-ray image of your jaw and can be adjusted to take images of the full mouth or just a tiny segment dependant on the treatment it is being used for.
This means that patients do not have to be referred away to an outside source which may take weeks. We can decide on the day or as part of a treatment plan and take the X-rays at a convenient time for you.
Dr Nick Fahey is the most frequent user of the CBCT scanner, as a 3D x-ray image is a very useful tool when placing implants. It allows him to see all of the anatomy in the area of proposed implant placement. He can then get a custom guide made using our 3D printer. This enables Nick to place the implant in the most desirable location for the success of the treatment.
Dr Nick Fahey also uses the CBCT scanner in some cases of tooth extraction to determine location of the vital nerves when removing teeth, as it can sometimes be difficult to tell from a regular 2D x-ray. This once again allows the most precise treatment plan to be determined.
Dr David Jones, our Root Canal Treatment expert, also uses the CBCT scanner. Due to the fine detail that is involved in root canal treatments, we often get cases referred to us from other practices.The 3D x-ray imagery the CBCT scanner provides can help him with tricky cases, and ensure the very best root canal treatment is provided.
As a referral practice, we often get referrals from dental practices sending patients for a CBCT scan prior to treatment. Mandy Morris (Dr Nick Fahey’s nurse) and Cathy Hickey (Treatment Co-ordinator,and Clinical Manager) have their radiography qualifications which enables them to take CBCT scans for patients.
So as you can see, there are a huge number of uses for the CBCT scanner.
But… it doesn’t stop there!
The CBCT scanner can also be used to take a Dental Panoramic Tomograph. This is a panoramic 2D x-ray that gives the dentist a great over-view of the patient’s mouth. We can see any pathology, anatomy and all of the teeth. This x-ray can be very useful for orthodontic treatment or ensuring adult teeth are present following loss of baby teeth. Many of you will have probably experienced this part of the CBCT scanner before if you have been to Woodborough House as a patient.
The best part about this piece of equipment is the tiny amount of radiation it emits when taking these x-ray images. Many people dislike the idea of having an x-ray due to radiation. As this machine takes large x-rays you may think this means a lot of radiation, but you need not be worried! The CBCT scanner when taking a 3D x-ray image emits less radiation than you would get from a flight to Spain and a 2D x-ray image is even less!!
This is an amazing piece of equipment that we are very lucky to have here at Woodborough House.
If you would like to know any more information about the CBCT scanner or any of the equipment and services provided by Woodborough House, please don’t hesitate to visit our website and get in touch! www.woodboroughhouse.com
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