Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Using the Latest Technology for Quality, Comfortable Oral Surgery

                               (Image source: http://www.i-cat.com)

 Using the Latest Technology for Quality, Comfortable Oral Surgery


If you've ever had a Computerized Axial Tomography (CAT) scan for an injury, you've undergone a technologically advanced method of visualizing the body. Different than a traditional X-Ray, CAT scans use 3D imaging to map out the bones, soft tissues, and organs inside the body, giving doctors a precise blueprint of your unique physiology. CAT scan technology has been used in hospitals since the 1980s, but it is just recently that oral surgeons began using them. So what exactly do oral surgeons use i-CAT scans for, and how are they beneficial?

How an i-Cat Scan Benefits Your Oral Surgeon
Dentists use X-rays of the mouth to place tooth implants in patients. If you've ever had one, you know that this can be a time-consuming process for both you and your dentist. They have to fit a 3D object using a 2D image - essentially like trying fit a square peg in a round hole. i-CAT scans make this process much easier because they allow your dentist to "zoom-in" on specific areas and see them from different angles. By using an i-CAT scan, your oral surgeon can plan exactly how the implant is going to fit, and where there may be preexisting problems. Your dentist will use i-CAT technology to gather the following information:
·         Determine the health and density of the jawbone that will hold the tooth, and see if any impactions, tumors, or tissue disease exists.
·         Map out nerve endings in the mouth to reduce pain.
·         Determine the size and type of implant best suited for your bite pattern.
·         Precisely measure the best fit for the implant, down to the angle of the tooth, by examining the way the surrounding teeth are oriented.
·         Use this information to plan a "blueprint" for the implant surgery.

How an i-CAT Scan Benefits You

The i-CAT scan makes the implantation process easier for everyone. No more will you have to suffer through hours of poking, prodding, and multiple X-rays. The scan offers you, as a patient, just as many benefits as it does an oral surgeon:

·         i-Cat scans take less than 30 seconds - saving you time and sparing you exposure to unnecessary radiation.
·         The scan is done in a designated station in which you're seated. No more lying down, biting on uncomfortable plastic pieces.
·         The i-CAT station is open and roomy, unlike claustrophobic CAT scans at a hospital.
·         The scan makes for a fast appointment - your dentist can start planning treatment immediately so you don't have to keep going back.
·         A comprehensive map of your mouth means that you don't have to suffer through as much pain during the placement process.
·         You can be confident that your implant will be the appropriate size and will fit right the first time - saving you the discomfort and embarrassment of a bad fit.
To learn more about the Solace Oral Surgery’s i-CAT® 3D Imaging technology, click here.


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