What is dental imaging?
Dental imaging is used to take pictures of teeth and the structures around them. Scans taken are used to diagnose dental problems, plan treatment and monitor progress and recovery.
Understanding your dental imaging
Your dentist, orthodontist or specialist will have referred you for Dental Imaging with our specialist team to provide high quality images and detailed diagnostic reports, which will be used to determine your oral health treatment plan of action. Dental imaging procedures are quick, stress-free and use very low safe doses of radiation.
Before your dental imaging:
- Please remove any jewellery or metallic items from the head and neck region, including piercings, hair accessories, dentures and dental plates
On the day of your dental imaging:
- Check in at reception.
- You will be taken to a private room where your technologist will explain the procedure and you can ask any questions you may have.
- You will be asked to change into a gown, and we will give you somewhere safe to keep your belongings.
During your dental imaging:
Orthopantomogram (OPG)
- An OPG is completed while you stand in an OPG x-ray machine.
- Your chin will be resting on a small shelf and you will be asked to bite on a small, sterile mouthpiece.
- We will position your head and teeth before bracing your head in the correct place.
- Our x-ray machine will then slowly rotate around your head to complete the scan, which is quick and painless.
- The actual scanning time is 15-20 seconds.
Lateral Cephalostat (Lat Ceph)
- These x-rays are most frequently taken while you are standing upright, using equipment that is an extension of the OPG x-ray machine.
- We will ask you to close your back teeth together and allow your head, neck and shoulders to relax in a natural position.
- We will then place markers in your ears and on your nose so we can position you correctly for the scan.
- The actual scanning time is 15-20 seconds.
Dental Cone Beam CT
- You will be prepared for a Dental Cone Beam CT the same way as an OPG is performed.
- Your chin will be resting on a small shelf and you will be asked to bite on a small, sterile mouthpiece.
- We will position your head and teeth before bracing your head in the correct place.
- Our x-ray machine will slowly rotate around your head to complete the scan, which is quick and painless.
- The actual scanning time is 15-20 seconds, however some processing is required after the 3D image is obtained.
CT Dentascan
- A Dentascan is performed on a CT scanner with specialist software attached to generate 3D images of your mouth.
- You will be asked to lie back on our scanning bed, while we talk you through the procedure before we commence.
- You will then be asked to bite down on a small, sterile mouthpiece, or a popsicle stick to separate your top and bottom teeth.
- Our scanning bed will then slowly slide forward so that your head is perfectly positioned into our CT scanner for the scan.
- On completion the bed will then slide back out to its original position.
- This scan takes approximately 10 minutes.
After your dental imaging
You will be able to get on with your day as normal.