Standard and low-dose cone beam computer tomography protocol for orthognatodontic diagnosis: a comparative evaluation

Area of Science:

• Dental Imaging
• Radiology
• Orthodontics

Background:

• Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) is increasingly utilized in orthodontics for treatment planning, particularly for complex cases.
• Assessing and minimizing radiation dose in CBCT is crucial for patient safety in orthodontic practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare organ doses and effective doses between a conventional CBCT setting and a low-dose protocol for orthodontic applications.
• To evaluate the diagnostic image quality of both CBCT protocols for orthodontic needs.

Main Methods:

• Organ doses were measured using an anthropomorphic phantom with thermo-luminescent dosimeters on sensitive organs.
• A MyRay Hyperion X9-11x5 device was used with standard (90 Kv, 36 mAs) and low-dose (90 Kv, 27 mAs) settings.
• Image quality was assessed by five experienced orthodontists for diagnostic sufficiency.

Main Results:

• The low-dose CBCT protocol resulted in significantly lower organ doses, with the esophagus receiving the lowest dose (5.01 µSv).
• The conventional setting yielded higher doses, with salivary glands receiving the highest mean organ dose (1227.67 µSv).
• Both protocols provided sufficient image quality for orthodontic diagnostic purposes.

Conclusions:

• A low-dose CBCT protocol is preferable in orthodontic practice due to substantial radiation dose reduction without compromising diagnostic image quality.
• Further research is warranted to fully establish the role of CBCT in orthodontic treatment planning.