Computed Tomography Imaging for Craniofacial and Dental Applications

The development of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) was dedicated to the evaluation of hard tissues of oral and craniofacial regions. CBCT offers sub-millimetre resolution in images of high diagnostic quality with short scanning times (10–70 s) and a radiation dose reduction up to 14–20 times lower than that of a conventional computed tomography (CT) scan. Better accessibility of this technology provides the clinician with an imaging modality that has the capability of giving a three-dimensional representation of the maxillofacial skeleton with minimal distortion. This chapter describes the maxillofacial CBCT systems used currently and the specific application of CBCT in clinical use.