With greater popularity and affordability among dental professionals, many are upgrading their dental imaging equipment with dental CBCT (cone beam) technology. When shopping for a dental CBCT system, you need to determine the maximum field of view (FOV) size that matches your clinical offerings. Regardless of manufacturer, dental CBCT machines are typically categorized by three FOV groups: small, medium, and large.
FOV sizes, which are typically measured in centimeters, are largely determined by the applications or procedures for which they will be used. Most medium and large FOV cone beam systems can often collimate down to achieve smaller FOV sizes if needed. Each manufacturer sets its own field of view sizes, so they can differ greatly by model.
Small FOV
Small FOV dental cone beam systems typically capture a 5x5cm field of view or a similar size. These scan sizes are often equipped with a high-definition mode to capture fine details, which are needed for endodontic and some implant procedures.
A small FOV dental cone beam system is the right choice for you if you only need to view one or two teeth at a time. They are best suited for endodontics and single implant treatments due to their ability to deliver high spatial resolution and visualize changes to PDL spaces, periapical lesions, and the relationship between impacted teeth and adjacent anatomy.
Medium FOV
Medium FOV dental cone beam systems typically capture 8x8cm scans or similar sizes. Medium FOV cone beam systems are ideal for single or dual arch applications as well as for guided implant surgery.
Medium FOV dental CBCT systems are often the best choice for general dentists because of their versatility. They are also ideal for surgical guides, for viewing impacted teeth, and for other applications requiring one or more full dental arches. Most medium FOV systems will allow you to capture smaller FOV sizes as well, to minimize patient radiation exposure.
Large FOV
The largest FOV systems start at around 13x15cm but can be as large as 17x23cm or similar sizes. Large FOV cone beam systems are typically necessary for evaluating trauma cases, TMJ disorders, airway and sleep apnea studies, ectopic and impacted teeth and third molars, orthognathic surgery, and assessing skeletal symmetry.
Most large FOV systems can also collimate down to smaller FOV sizes, allowing the operator to adhere to the ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) principle in prescribing CBCT radiographs. Doctors in oral surgery, orthodontics, and sleep medicine will all find these large FOV dental CBCT systems to be the most useful.
General Dental CBCT Purchasing Tips
In making a decision about which dental CBCT system to purchase, it is important to consider both your current and your future overall treatment objectives.
If you currently refer patients out for dental CBCT imaging more than four times per month, you may want to consider adding a dental cone beam system to your practice so you can capture these images in-house instead. This can also increase ROI by receiving referrals from other doctors, performing more complex cases in-house, and through increased treatment acceptance and continuation rates.
If you are not yet ready to invest in a cone beam system but are considering expanding your practice in the future, whether through offering additional services or bringing in a doctor with other areas of expertise, you might want to look at digital panoramic dental X-ray machines that are easily upgradeable to cone-beam dental functionality in the future.
Shop All FOV Sizes Through Renew Digital
Renew Digital is the leader in certified pre-owned dental imaging equipment, including dental CBCT. They offer small, medium, and large FOV cone beam systems from a variety of respected brands. The best part is you get top-notch quality imaging at 30%-50% off the cost of buying new, and every purchase includes installation, training, and a warranty featuring 5-star customer service and tech support. Shop online today or contact a sales representative at 888-246-5611 to help find the right unit for your practice.
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