It’s Time to Embrace 3D
An oral maxillofacial radiologist shares the benefits of bringing CBCT into the practice, and why PreXion users are ahead of the curve
It’s no secret that incorporating CBCT into your practice opens the door for enhanced diagnostics and treatment planning. But what happens when you install the unit, complete the training, take the image, and then can’t interpret the scan?
In the past, the only option when faced with a questionable scan was to send the patient out to an oral surgeon for an evaluation. “For the patient, that’s a bit inconvenient," said Dr. Barett Andreasen. "Now, they have to take time off from work again, and if they live in an area that’s not close to an oral surgeon, they have to travel a significant amount of time, not to mention pay for that consult, too—money they could be spending in your office on the treatment they need.”
That's where Dr. Andreasen comes in.
While the oral and maxillofacial radiologist spends time teaching dentists how to read CBCT scans, he also provides them with a valuable lifeline through his company Radiodontics, which translates dentists' uncertain case images into detailed radiology reports.
CBCT scans are sent to Dr. Andreasen remotely and he creates a full report for the doctor in 2 to 3 days. “That’s it—the patient doesn’t have to go anywhere,” he said. “I can really help guide the referring doctor in what to do with the patient. Do they need more imaging? Do they need additional treatment? Is it just something that we need to watch?”
Many of the scans submitted to Radiodontics are captured on PreXion 3D imaging units. “You can tell that PreXion users are very familiar with how to use the software and how to evaluate their scans. There are other manufacturers that don’t provide as much support, and their users are a bit more lost. PreXion offers doctors very good training and support from the time they install the unit and throughout its lifetime.”
“Any scenario you can imagine running into, the Excelsior is going to produce a great image.”
—Barett Andreasen, DDS
Additionally, he added, PreXion image quality is top-notch. “I think my favorite PreXion machine right now is the Excelsior CBCT scanner. The offices that have an Excelsior take some of the nicest and cleanest images that I've seen throughout my career. They're just fantastic in the way they deal with different artifacts and restorations—any scenario you can imagine running into, the Excelsior is going to produce a great image.”
Embracing the Easy Way
Dr. Andreasen finds that some dentists are hesitant to embrace 3D imaging because they anticipate a steep learning curve. “We learned how to read panoramics in dental school, and we really learned the hard way first because CBCTs are so much easier to read,” he said. “With CBCT, you see everything and there's no more guesswork. You're able to do your implant planning or print out surgical guides; you can use it for patient education and case acceptance. Once you get used to diagnosing and treating with a CBCT, there's no going back.”
