Dental Imaging Equipment in Dentistry; Intraoral, Extraoral, and 3d Technology

Dental imaging equipment are used to visualize hidden dental structures, bone masses, cavities, malignant or benign masses, and other damages that cannot be seen through normal examination. Some of the dental imaging equipment are intraoral cameras, digital impression scanners, 3D facial scanners, image plate scanners, Cone beam computed tomography (CT), panoramic and cephalometric systems, extraoral X-ray machines, and intraoral X-ray devices.

Dental imaging equipment provide a clear and comprehensive view of bones, nerves, tissues, and teeth inside the mouth. These equipment are important for dentists because just an oral examination will not be sufficient to give a complete overview of a patient's dental health. Imaging devices help to uncover conditions that are not visible, such as impacted teeth, tooth decay, bone loss, or growths, such as tumors, cysts, and abscesses.

With the increasing prevalence of oral diseases, such as oral cancer, cavities (tooth decay), and gum disease, the demand for dental imaging equipment is also increasing at a rapid pace. For instance, according to FDI World Dental Federation, oral disease affects 3.9 billion people worldwide. Moreover, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 1 in 4 (26%) adults in the United States have untreated tooth decay and around half (46%) of all adults aged 30 years or older show signs of gum disease.

In intraoral X-ray systems, the X-ray film is inside the mouth, while in extraoral X-ray systems, the X-ray film is outside the mouth. Intraoral systems are the most common type of X-rays that allow dental practitioners to inspect the roots of teeth, monitor the condition of developing teeth, check the condition of the bony region around the tooth, and detect cavities. Images can be stored and compared to track changes or improvements in potentially adverse areas. Technological advances can aid more accurate diagnosis and patient understanding, as they can be shown what the dentist is seeing and how important the treatment will be.