St. Ann's Imaging Service
Preparing your patient for a dental scan
The I-CAT CT scanner is a dedicated dental CT scanning machine, using the latest cone beam and sensor technology. This in conjunction with the
ability for specific, accurate collimation relevant to the required area of scan allows the total patient dose to be as little as 1/10th of the dose normally associated with a hospital CT scan. In addition the scan is generally of a higher definition.
To obtain the maximum information for patients with missing teeth (other than possibly single tooth cases) provide custom made diagnostic stents with “markers” to provide tooth position indices (see over).
- If the patient has a deep overbite and/or metal restorations, use some form of inter-arch separation to create a clear region between the opposing occlusal surfaces. This will prevent artefact from teeth in one jaw compromising the images in the region of interest of the opposing jaw.
- Fill out a booking Form and send it by fax or post to the St. Ann’s Imaging Service. On receipt of the Booking Form we contact your patient to arrange the appointment for the scan.
- Provide clear and concise instructions as to whether the patient is to remove or wear their existing dentures for the scan, or if they are to use wax bite rims or diagnostic stents provided by you.
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Scans will be made parallel to the occlusal plane, unless otherwise requested.
Using radiopaque markers to make a CT scanning guide
The positions of the desired implant sites can be indicated radiographically in one or more of the following ways.
- 8 small gutta percha markers inserted into the custom made diagnostic stent. These should be approximately 2mm in diameter as per nobel guide protocol.
- Leave air spaces in the stent indicating the positions of the missing teeth. These will produce black outlines clearly visible on the CT images.
If you have any queries, please contact Gary Lancashire at St. Ann's Imaging on 0161 830 7498
