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Cone Beam Computed Tomography in Endodontics: An Overview.

Mithra N Hegde, Priyadarshini Hegde, Aditya Shetty, Lakshmi Nidhi Rao, and Litty Varghese

The interpretation of an image for the dento-maxillofacial region is complicated due to the complex anatomy and the varying radio density of the tissues. The classic 2 dimensional radiographic technique do provide an excellent representation of the tissues, but are limited in differentiating superimposing structures. This drawback has been be overcome by Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT). CBCT is a medical imaging technique consisting of X-ray based computed tomography where the X-rays are divergent forming a cone. It has the ability to eliminate superimposition of structures that normally overlap in the commonly used two-dimensional radiography. CBCT produces a high contrast image with good resolution in a short period of time. In endodontics, this particularly relates to early diagnosis of periradicular disease with greater precision of lesion size, extent and nature of position. CBCT also provides a lower dose of radiation and a higher image quality when compared to medical tomography. It can provide clear distinction of the delicate structures such as the dentin, enamel, pulp cavity and the alveolar cortical. CBCT system configurations are also available that provide small field of view images at low dose with sufficient spatial resolution. These characteristics make it highly relevant for applications in endodontic diagnosis, treatment guidance and post treatment evaluation. This article provides a literature overview of CBCT as an imaging adjunct in the field of dental science, more specifically in endodontics.