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Dental CT scan (CBCT)
CBCT · cone beam CT · 3D dental X-ray · dental CT scan
A 3D image of your teeth and jaws. The doctor can see the roots, canals, and bone from all sides.
Before implants and difficult extractions, for root canal treatment, cysts, before braces, or for the sinuses.
⏱ Duration: usually 5 to 10 minutes; the scan itself takes less than a minute; results often right away
Be sure to tell your doctor
How to prepare
- Prep. None needed. You can eat and drink.
- Metal. Take off earrings, necklaces, piercings, hair clips, glasses, and removable dentures.
What to bring
- Your dentist's referral with the area to scan
- Past dental X-rays
How it goes
- A protective apron is put on you, if it does not block the image
- You sit or stand in the machine, with your chin on a rest
- You bite on a piece, and your head is held in place
- The machine moves around your head. Do not move or swallow
- The images are processed on a computer
What you'll feel
- It does not hurt
- You need to keep still for less than a minute
Afterwards
- You usually get the scan on a disc or USB drive. The report comes the same day or later
- Take it to your dentist or oral surgeon
Common questions
Is the radiation dangerous?
The dose is higher than a panoramic X-ray, but usually lower than a regular head CT. It is ordered when treatment needs it.
Can just part of the jaw be scanned?
Yes, often only a small area is scanned, which lowers the dose. Your doctor chooses the area.