Evaluation of use of cone beam computed tomography in paediatric patients: A cross-sectional study

Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) is widely used in paediatric dentistry. Appropriate use of CBCT is important because children are more vulnerable to ionizing radiation than adults.

To investigate the use of CBCT in children by describing reasons for requesting it and its distribution according to age, oral region, and department.

Cone beam computed tomography scans of patients (age < 19 years) who presented to our dental clinic were investigated retrospectively according to sex, age (6-12 [Group 1] and 13-18 [Group 2] years based on dentition), referring department, imaging area (anterior/posterior, mandible/maxilla), and indication. Indications were grouped under five headings according to 2011 SEDENTEXCT guidelines: dental anomalies, impacted teeth, endodontics, bone pathosis, and others.

Overall, 334 CBCT scans at different times and for different reasons in 319 patients were evaluated. In recent years, CBCT requests increased in both age groups. Eighty-five CBCT scans (25.44%) of 78 patients (24.45%) with a mean age of 10.37 ± 1.60 years were examined in Group 1, whereas 249 CBCT scans (%74.55) of 241 patients (75.54%) with a mean age of 15.66 ± 1.70 years were examined in Group 2. The most frequent indication was the assessment of impacted teeth (46.1%). The anterior maxilla was the most frequently monitored region (41.6%). The oral and maxillofacial radiology department was the department that made the most CBCT requests in all the years considered (53.6%).

The most common indications were the assessment of dentigerous cysts and impacted teeth. There was an increase in the number of referrals to paediatric dentistry.