Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
by Dr Peter Dayman, Macleay Dental, Potts Point, NSW
The Orthophos S 3D is an upgrade of a cone beam unit I purchased in 2006. When a patient has a complex mouth problem that may be causing pain, this unit takes the guesswork out of the physical aspect of the diagnosis.
What’s good about it
I have a lot of Sirona equipment in my practice and this unit blends in with everything. It works seamlessly with my CEREC machine, and I use it for implant planning.
Having upgraded from an earlier version, it’s easy to see the advances in technology. The image is much clearer, and the detail can be increased or decreased depending on what is required. This unit can operate with as little radiation as is normally produced for bitewing X-rays on the super-low dose setting.
Cone beam technology is far superior to the 2D images of X-rays and OPGs. It’s an asset in all branches of dentistry. If you’re dealing with an intact cortical plate, there can be a massive amount of infection underneath the tooth but an X-ray has trouble picking that up. The cone beam can show if a tooth’s cracked or dead, or if just one root has died in a tooth displaying varied symptoms. You can also see sinus infections. It’s essential for implant planning making surgery predictable and safe.
When planning to undertake orthodontics, the cone beam shows if there’s any impediment to moving teeth and the shapes of the roots. It’s also great for surgical extractions with minimal damage to the patient.
What’s not so good
It costs but ultimately, it’s going to be used so often that the price is actually irrelevant. A quality cone beam unit will pay for itself.
