Why CT Scans are Necessary for Implant Surgery

No CBCT Scan, No Dental Implant Surgery

• CBCT scans reduce risks and complications
• CBCT scans increase the chance of long-term success
• CBCT scans contribute to high implant success rates
• Costs from £175 (or included in a dental implant consultation for free)

We wouldn't recommend pursuing treatment if you’ve had a dental implant consultation with a dentist that didn’t involve a CBCT scan (CT scan).

Without one, your dental implants can fail

• The level of detail a CT scan produces cannot be obtained with normal x-rays
• 3D cross-sectional images of your jaw and teeth

A CBCT scan (Cone Beam Computed Tomography) produces highly detailed 3D images of your oral anatomy, including your teeth, jawbone, soft tissues, sinuses, and nerves. This makes it an essential part of treatment, as it can detect any abnormalities or occurrences of bone resorption.

Images of the jaw are paramount to the successful integration of implants

As the implant is inserted directly into the jaw, the dentist must take pictures of the area ahead of the procedure to pre-plan placement and assess for any complications like insufficient bone density. Read how to know if you need a bone graft.Without understanding the density of bone beforehand, a dentist cannot confidently guarantee that your implant will successfully integrate with the bone.As bone loss is common in patients who have worn dentures for a while or ignored gaps in their mouth, it’s an area of your treatment plan that requires the most preparation and thought.

It’s also important for identifying critical nerves and structures

You might not know that anatomy will vary from person to person, so CBCT scanning is essential before implant surgery.Every patient’s anatomy is genuinely unique, with nerve pathways, sinus cavities and even bone structures varying in size, position and shape - so believe it when we say no two cases are the same, hence, why pre-implant planning and consultations with a dentist are so detailed and paramount to treatment.CBCT scans, in this instance, help us understand your unique oral anatomy and how the surgery will play out for you. For example, your inferior alveolar nerve, which runs along the lower jaws, might be higher or lower, or your maxillary sinus in the upper jaws extend further than expected, impacting the locations where your implant can be safely placed.All of these considerations are made in the initial stages, contributing to the dental implant’s overall incredible success rate of 98%.

More benefits of a CBCT scan:

• Smaller, faster and safer than typical CT scanners
• Lower radiation dosage
• Requires no prior special preparations
• Non-invasive and not painful

How dental implant treatment would look without a CBCT scan

Without taking a CBCT scan before treatment, there’s a higher risk that the dental implant is positioned too close to or, worse, in contact with a nerve, leading to temporary or even permanent numbness. In the upper jaws, there is an increased risk of the dental implant being placed near the sinus cavity, causing complications and implant failure.