Richard Rosenblatt Cone Beam is like xray vision and a diagnostic tool all in one pretty package. This patient of record came in today complaining of pain on her upper right. She had a crown on #4 and history of an endodontic treatment that had been there for years. The tooth was tender to percussion and had spontaneous pain. We took a PA radiograph and saw what potentially could have been an apical widening or radiolucency. As we talked a bit more she stated that she was having some minimal discomfort on her upper left tooth too. Since she was complaining of multiple areas, we decided to take a cone beam scan. Thank goodness we did! It not only helped me to see multiple areas of concern, but also allowed me to discuss with the patient what was happening. I was able to give her a visual tour of her mouth radiographically so she could understand what was happening. Turns out that not only was the root canal on #4 failing, but so was #14 and #19. She also has a wisdom tooth on the lower left that is very close to the nerve, so it was easy to discuss why this did not need to be attended to. We discussed options of apicoectemy vs extractions and also bridges vs implants. The implant software is great to show a patient exactly which implant you will use and where it will go once the teeth are extracted. The patient appreciated all this information and the visuals really helped her understand the necessity of the treatment. We have decided to extract and place implants on the failing endodontically treated teeth. Using this technology to diagnose and help me education the patient as to her condition and options was great for both doctor and patient!
