ANSWERS

How is CBCT used for implant planning?

CBCT scans give the implant team a 3D map of bone volume, nerve canals, sinus floors, and adjacent root anatomy before a single drill touches tissue. The DICOM file merges with the intraoral scan in planning software, the lab designs the prosthetic-driven implant position, then mills a surgical guide that locks angl...

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Why it works this way

Why CBCT replaced 2D for implant work

Panoramic radiographs miss bucco-lingual bone width entirely. A 2018 study in the International Journal of Oral & Maxillofacial Implants found CBCT changed the surgical plan in 52% of cases that had been initially planned from 2D imaging alone. For implant work, that 52% is the difference between a guide that fits the anatomy and a freehand placement that hopes for the best.

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What CBCT file format do you accept?

Standard DICOM export from any CBCT unit (Carestream, Planmeca, i-CAT, Vatech, Morita, Acteon). Send the full DICOM folder, not a compressed JPEG or single-slice export. File size typically runs 200MB to 800MB depending on field of view and voxel size. Upload through the Dani Dental case portal or secure file transfer; the digital workflow team confirms receipt within 4 business hours and flags any file integrity issues before planning begins.

Do I need a CBCT for every implant case?

For single-unit posterior implants with abundant bone and clear 2D imaging, some clinicians still plan from a periapical plus intraoral scan. For anterior esthetic zones, full-arch cases, immediate placements, sinus proximity, or any case near the inferior alveolar nerve, CBCT is the standard of care per the 2012 AAOMR position paper. Dani Dental requires CBCT for all guided surgery cases and all All-on-X planning.

How long does guide design and printing take?

From the moment Dani Dental receives a clean DICOM plus intraoral scan, surgical guide design runs 2 to 3 business days, printing and post-processing adds another 2 to 3 days, and shipping is overnight for most of Arizona and 2-day for the rest of the continental US. Full turnaround averages 5 to 7 business days. For full-arch cases with provisional design included, plan on 8 to 10 business days end to end.

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