3D Imaging, Digital X-Rays & Digital Impressions

What technology is new at our Murrieta office?

We’re adding three tools: 3D imaging, digital X-rays and digital impressions. As our letter to patients explains, the goal is more comfortable visits and fewer appointments.

Each one does a different job. Digital X-rays are the everyday pictures of your teeth. 3D imaging is a deeper look saved for specific questions. Digital impressions replace trays of impression material with a small scanner for many kinds of treatment.

Your records stay right here, and new images join the digital records our office already keeps. Read more about our office and technology.

What is a cone beam CT image?

A cone beam CT (CBCT) image is a 3D X-ray of your teeth, jaws and the structures around them. The FDA explains that the machine rotates around you, capturing data with a cone-shaped X-ray beam, and creates three-dimensional information instead of the flat, two-dimensional view of a standard dental X-ray.

That 3D view lets your dentist see the jawbone, nerves, sinuses and tooth roots from every angle, which a flat image can’t fully show. Cleveland Clinic notes CBCT is often used for implant planning.

According to the FDA, dentists also use CBCT to look at abnormal teeth, evaluate the jaws and face, and help diagnose cavities, root canal problems and dental injuries. For the scan, you stay still while the machine moves around your head.

How are digital X-rays different from film?

Digital X-rays use an electronic sensor in place of film, and the image appears on a computer screen. Cleveland Clinic notes that digital X-rays use much less radiation than traditional film X-rays, and the ADA lists digital sensors among the ways dentists keep exposure low.

They’re still the everyday tool for checkups. Bitewing X-rays show cavities between teeth and below the gumline, and periapical X-rays show the roots and surrounding bone, according to Cleveland Clinic. Because the picture is on a screen, your dentist can enlarge it and walk you through what they see.

How often you need X-rays depends on you. The ADA’s MouthHealthy site says the schedule depends on your oral health, age, disease risk and any symptoms, and that X-rays should be taken only when your dentist believes they will provide needed information.

What are digital impressions?

A digital impression is a 3D model of your teeth made with a small handheld scanner instead of a tray of impression material. Your dentist moves the scanner around your teeth, and the model builds on a screen.

Traditional impressions mean biting into a tray of soft material and holding still while it sets, which some people find uncomfortable or hard on their gag reflex. The ADA notes that scanners may provide a faster and more comfortable experience than the traditional method. A 2024 study of children and teens also found more comfort and less gagging with scans than with conventional impressions.

According to the ADA, dentists use digital impressions to create crowns, inlays, onlays, bridges, clear aligners, bite guards and implant surgical guides. A scan captures what researchers call an optical impression, made with light, so it isn’t an X-ray.

Is dental imaging safe? How radiation is kept low

Dental X-rays use very low doses of radiation, and the ADA’s MouthHealthy site says the risk of harmful effects is very small. 3D imaging is different: the FDA notes that dental CBCT typically delivers more radiation than standard dental X-rays, though generally less than other CT exams. That’s why CBCT is used only when it’s needed.

Here are the principles behind how dentists decide on imaging, from FDA and ADA guidance:

• Only when it will change your care. The ADA and FDA’s patient-selection guidance says X-rays should be taken when the information is expected to affect your treatment, decided after an exam and a look at your history.
• As low as reasonably achievable. Once an image is needed, dentists follow the ALARA principle to keep exposure as low as reasonably achievable.
• Lower-exposure options first. The ADA recommends digital sensors over film, and CBCT only when lower-exposure images won’t give the needed answer.
• Shielding has changed. The ADA’s current recommendations say thyroid collars are no longer recommended for dental imaging, because shields can block the X-ray beam and lead to retakes. Some offices still use shielding because of local rules.
• Ask questions. The FDA encourages patients to talk about the benefits and risks of an exam, ask whether it’s necessary and keep a record of imaging they’ve had. Tell our team if you are pregnant or might be.

How does 3D imaging help with implants, root canals, braces and crowns?

3D images and digital scans give your dentist more detail before treatment starts, which helps with planning. With dental implants placed in our office from start to finish, and oral surgery, root canal treatment, and braces and aligners becoming available right here, these tools help plan that care in one place.

• Dental implants: implant planning is one of the most common uses of CBCT, according to the FDA and Cleveland Clinic. Digital scans can also be used to make implant surgical guides.
• Root canal treatment: the FDA lists root canal diagnosis among CBCT uses. Not every case needs a 3D scan; it’s used when standard X-rays don’t show enough. Learn more about root canal treatment.
• Braces and clear aligners: digital scans can be used to make clear aligners, and 3D imaging can help evaluate abnormal teeth and the jaws. See braces and clear aligners.
• Crowns and bridges: digital impressions can be used to make crowns, inlays, onlays and bridges, so many patients can skip the impression putty. See dental crowns.
• Wisdom teeth and oral surgery: the FDA lists evaluating the jaws and abnormal teeth among CBCT uses, which can help when planning oral surgery. See wisdom teeth and oral surgery.

Questions & answers

Common questions