3D Imaging: Is it for Every Dental Practice?

The advances in digital imaging are creating a rapidly moving technology wave benefiting both patients and doctors. 3D imaging is part of this evolution, carving its own important place in oral health care. And it’s not limited only to specialty offices. General dentistry practices are finding the addition of 3D cone beam to their workflow has expanded the type and the level of care they can offer to their patients. 3D is more multi-functional than they ever expected.

Expanded Patient Care Services

The power of the CBCT is that it can illuminate more areas of the patient’s oral cavity, bringing to light areas not easily seen with traditional X-rays. That greater insight into the structure of a patient’s mouth provides doctors with more information and greater confidence in diagnoses and treatment recommendations.

“We plan cases with cone beam technology and can go into the mouth with safety and confidence, just like it’s a GPS,” explained Dr. Bill Busch, owner of North Kansas City Dental, a general dentistry practice in Kansas City. “It’s dead on.”

The versatility of three dimensional X-rays that highlight soft tissue, bone, nerve pathways, and sinus canals, all in one image, is what makes it such a powerful, versatile tool that expands its usefulness into the general dentistry space.

Total Patient Health

Dentists are frequently the first line of defense for patients who have undiagnosed health problems, and the cone beam is one of the technological advances that has literally saved lives in the dentist office. Many doctors have discovered undiagnosed tumors, narrowing airways, obstructions, and other anatomical issues before anyone else, thanks to
3D technology.

“When I blow up digital images, especially the 3D cone beam images, it’s mind blowing,” explained Dr. Brian Kaye of Kaye Dentistry in Manhattan. “I still look at it in awe. With 3D, we can pick up pathologies that would not be seen any other way. We can tell a patient with 100% certainty what is going on. It is a game changer, and anyone who is using it would not work without it.”

3D Makes Any Office a One-Stop Dental Practice

Patient care is always the top priority and focus, but profitability is crucial for a successful practice that wants to grow. As prices come down for cone beam units, doctors are finding that patients want the convenience of having all of their dentistry done in one place. Sometimes in one day! Patients want to remain in the office of a dentist they know and trust for their complete oral health care.

CBCT Multiple Benefits

A cone beam expands the capabilities of a dentist and makes that possible. No more referrals out for a 3D image. No more scheduling multiple appointments that waste chair time. Instead, patients can have an image taken in a few minutes, and results can be discussed with them and treatment options explained on-screen in minutes. Combine that with same-day dentistry, and you become their dentist for nearly every dental need.

Greater Treatment Acceptance

When patients can see meticulous reproductions of their anatomy and problem areas clearly defined and illustrated, treatment acceptance increases.

“The cone beam is a big purchase, but you can do a lot with it,” explained Dr. Busch. “It has definitely increased everything about collections and production by at least 30%. It’s comparing man-hours to computer hours. When you can reduce
man-hours, you reduce your costs. As technology increases, inefficiencies decrease.”

CBCT integral to General Dentistry

Versatile and powerful, cone beam units are moving into more general dentistry practices because they simply help ALL doctors in ALL specialties do what they do best even better – deliver high-quality health care in a high-tech, convenient, comfortable way to patients with more accurate results and solutions. Yes, 3D imaging is for every dental practice.

View Henry Schein's 3D Imaging products and offerings today and request a quote with one of our qualified reps.