Clinical efficacy of cross-sectional imaging compared with panoramic imaging and virtual 3D models for the assessment of dental implant placement.

Abstract

Introduction: This study compared the clinical efficacy of panoramic imaging and Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) in the optimal placement of virtual dental implants in the posterior edentulous bounded regions of the jaws. Material and methods: From a retrospective audit of patient records, fifty-two subjects were recruited with sixty-one dental implant sites in the maxilla and mandible. Physical measurements of the residual alveolar ridge were performed and consensus decisions of optimal implant length and bone graft necessity were obtained using reformatted panoramic alone (RP) or cross-sectional imaging (XS). Results: Horizontal restorative space measurements greater for RP (p=0.001). Shorter implants were chosen more often using CS than RP. Use of XS allowed planning that reduced the need for bone graft procedures by 50%. Conclusion: The use of cross-sectional imaging provides supplemental information that significantly influences virtual implant position and the need for bone grafting