VDM Verlag Cone Beam Computed Tomography In Orthodontics: Science and Applications

Stephen Ambrose has quoted,"The past is a source of knowledge, and the future is a source of hope. Love of the past implies faith in the future".Imaging is an important diagnostic adjunct to the clinical assessment of the dental patient. In 2001, the introduction of low-cost, low-radiation dose, high-resolution cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) in clinical orthodontics created the potential for new discoveries in craniofacial biology and facial growth. This technology provides researchers and clinicians with the tools needed to study 3-dimensional changes in craniofacial anatomy associated with the growth process and clinical care. CBCT can eliminate the projection inaccuracies inherent in 2D cephalograms, and can further provide accurate assessment of the craniofacial structures in three dimensions with exposure sequences that are shorter than those for standard panoramic radiography, and only several times greater in dose than for one such image.