Case Dental School offers imaging center for area dentists
New 3-D technology provides high resolution images of complex dental problems
July 7, 2005 | For more information: Susan
Griffith 216-368-1004
So heavy that the third floor of the Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine had to be reinforced for installation--the most state-of-the-art dental imaging instrumentation will be available for area dentists. Case will start accepting patients in August to its new Craniofacial Imaging Center at Case School of Dental Medicine (CIC at Case for short). The Case dental school has teamed up with Hitachi Medical Systems America, Inc., headquartered in Twinsburg, Ohio, to provide the university and area dentists with some of the first access to computed tomography (CT) conebeam scanner technology for use in imaging the head and neck.
Hitachi's CB MercuRay system, developed in Japan in 2002, provides detailed, two- and three-dimensional high-resolution imagery unlike that of normal x-ray technology in dental offices.
Case will have the capability to gather all of the information needed from one, 10-second scan with low, safe radiation levels with the technology. This information includes panoramic, cephalometric, tomographic and CT images of the whole volume of the patient's head. Powerful software that accompanies the scanners allows dentists "to slice" through to the interior to look at hidden anatomy from any view. Not only does it have capabilities for diagnosing but can be used as a powerful teaching tool in anatomy classes and take research to new levels with advanced ways to view and manipulate patient data.
Where x-ray units in dental offices are accurate for most simple dental applications, Mark Hans, chair of Case's department of orthodontics, said the new technology eliminates distortions and diagnostic errors caused by using a two dimensional projection image rather than true three dimensional views.
"This is new technology that is quickly gaining momentum," said Trisha Winter, product manager of dental imaging for Hitachi Medical Systems America Inc. "At Hitachi Medical Systems America, Inc., we believe it is possible to combine advanced technology and cutting-edge clinical capabilities in patient friendly systems."
Dental imaging centers have begun to open around the country, added Winter.
Because of the technology's capabilities, the dental school wanted to provide this resource to the community. At the cost of $300,000, the cone beam scanner would be expensive for most dentists to purchase for their private practice use, but the school can provide a regional resource to area dentists to advance dental practices, said Jerold Goldberg, dean of the Case dental school.
Case continues to lead the way in dental imaging. The dental school has gained an international reputation for its Bolton Brush radiographic collection of more than 200,000 skeletal growth images and is the birthplace of radiographic cephalometry or x-ray technology for imaging head shape.
Hans, who has been conducting research in 3-D imaging for 15 years and uses imaging to help identify patients at risk for sleep apnea conditions as well as in designing new orthodontic treatments, has taken the next step to bring the latest technology to the dental school.
"These modern CT units have the potential to transform dental radiography," said Hans. "We believe the school will lead the area in introducing this new technology to dentistry."
"Some oral health conditions are so complex that they require high resolution images that x-rays cannot provide. Everyone benefits from the use of this technology," he added.
The dental school will see patient referred by dentists in private practices between 7-9 a.m., weekdays, when campus parking is readily available at the dental school and the Case's public dental clinics are closed. The new center will be capable of handling 30 off-campus referrals each week. A patient visit will last approximately 20 minutes.
After 9 a.m., the technology will be used for patients coming to the dental school clinics and also by faculty members in special research projects.
Both Case and off-campus patients will pay a discounted fee of $300 for the images. Normal costs for cone beam images are approximately $450 and fees for the hospital CT images they replace often exceed $700. Insurance will likely cover some of all of the cost of the imaging depending on the plan.
While this is the first conebeam scanner designed for dental use in Northeast Ohio, the technology has become standard imaging technology in orthodontics, oral surgery and implant dentistry in California. There is one other conebeam CT scanner in Ohio; it is located in Columbus.
Hans predicts that within five years the technology will become a standard for Ohio dentists. To introduce and educate area dentists, the dental school will offer its first daylong continuing education course in the fall to teach dentists how to use the new technology in diagnosing oral health problems. Other classes will follow in coming years.
Case also has another interest in acquiring the technology. Starting in the fall, all Case dental students will receive training in placing dental implants. The CT scanner images aid in proper placing of dental implants.
The imaging technology also has a number of uses among the dental specialties, according to Hans. As one example, he envisions endodontists looking for causes of "phantom" tooth pain that might result from fine hairline cracks in roots of teeth or unknown extra tooth roots not detected by x-rays. It can also facilitate corrective treatment plans for children born with head and neck deformities.
Dentists can schedule referrals at the Case Dental Imaging Center by calling 216-368-2674.
About Case Western Reserve University
Case is among the nation's leading research institutions. Founded in 1826
and shaped by the unique merger of the Case Institute of Technology and Western
Reserve University, Case is distinguished by its strengths in education, research,
service, and experiential learning. Located in Cleveland, Case offers nationally
recognized programs in the Arts and Sciences, Dental Medicine, Engineering,
Law, Management, Medicine, Nursing, and Social Work. http://www.case.edu.
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