A Digital Approach to Evaluating Tooth Root Position Without Repeated Cone-beam Computed Tomography Scans

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Orthodontics
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Accurate assessment of tooth and root movements is crucial for successful orthodontic treatment.
• Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) provides detailed 3D visualization but involves radiation exposure concerns with serial scans.
• Current methods for monitoring treatment progress often necessitate repeated imaging, increasing patient risk.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel digital approach for evaluating three-dimensional (3D) root position without requiring repeated radiation exposure.
• To present a method utilizing a virtual tooth model for monitoring root movements during orthodontic treatment.
• To enable accurate assessment of treatment progress while minimizing patient radiation dose.

Main Methods:

• Development of a virtual tooth model by combining intraoral scans of the tooth crown and CBCT scans of the root.
• Integration of subsequent intraoral scans into the existing virtual tooth model to track changes.
• Estimation of 3D root positions by comparing sequential virtual tooth models without additional CBCT scans.

Main Results:

• The proposed method allows for the estimation of 3D root positions using only intraoral scans after the initial CBCT scan.
• This digital workflow provides a radiation-free alternative for monitoring tooth movement throughout treatment.
• The virtual tooth model facilitates accurate tracking of root positions in routine clinical practice.

Conclusions:

• The virtual tooth model approach offers a viable, radiation-free method for monitoring 3D root position during orthodontic treatment.
• This technique enhances patient safety by eliminating the need for serial CBCT scans.
• Clinicians can effectively monitor tooth movement and treatment progress with increased accuracy and reduced radiation exposure.