Dental CT scans the new standard of care

 Dental CT Scans: The new standard of care for dental implants  

IT IS A DENTIST’S RESPONSIBILITY to provide reasonable and ordinary care, skill and diligence as other dentists in good standing in the same neighborhood provide, and deviations from these standards that produce untoward results constitute malpractice."

They are not the standard of care for every implant case. But I consider it a standard of care when treatment planning complex cases such as multiple implants in the posterior mandible, to obtain more accurate information. But in other cases, I want what's best for my patients, even if it does cost the 200-300 dollars for a scan, its piece of mind and accurate treatment planning. Also gives the patient visual evidence of the limitations of treatment with their anatomy. Its an educational and treatment planning tool.

The radiation dose is not significant. If a patient can afford to have an implant placed, they can afford to have it placed by a dentist who has the information they need to place it safely and usefully

Do you need a CT scan for every implant case? Of course not - but when they are safe, cheap and easily accessible you'd be a fool not to get one for complex cases or where the usual fun anatomical structures are close to the proposed implant site.

Will it make implant treatment more expensive? When I get a scan for a complex case, I often get a Simplant-planned drilling guide (Surgiguide) made from it

The radiation dose far exceeds the potential risk of surgical complications without a CT Scan, especially in the complex cases where treatment planning is very important

CBCT (Cone Beam CT) is a powerful tool, however it needs to be coupled with a implant placement program (i.e. Simplant) to be really useful

The more you plan and the more data you have to do it, the better the case. Just be open-minded and use the technology when appropriate.

CT scans are a valuable aid in implant dentistry. They are indicated whenever they will help provide a better treatment outcome for your patient, ie, more accurate implant placement or reducing risks such as nerve injury.

it is the most important tool for us to appreciate the patient's anatomy.

The trouble is, and the law says, that we have a greater responsibility than providing the best dental care we can possibly give our patients.We need to make them aware of the best possible care that exists in the local community when compared to services provided in our offices. That is not anything most of us are comfortable doing, yet that’s what "standard of care" is all about.

Going the extra mile for more information can no longer be considered a "standard of excellence" that separates one clinician from another. Getting all the information necessary—in this case, 3-D imaging—to make an informed decision should not be glossed over