Advances in maxillofacial imaging

The maxillofacial region, extending from the base of the skull to the hyoid bone, is one of the most anatomically complex regions of the body. This area contains elements and organs belonging to a number of different systems that can be affected by a variety of local and systemic pathologic processes. Diagnostic imaging has assumed a central role in the evaluation of this region. In the following monograph, we present the reader with an overview of contemporary maxillofacial imaging, focusing on three areas: recent technical advances that impact on the diagnosis of the maxillofacial region, the appearances of various maxillofacial lesions on different imaging modalities, and an overview of the role of diagnostic imaging in the evaluation of the orthognathic patient. In the first section, we focus on recent technical advances in diagnostic imaging as they relate to the maxillofacial region. Imaging modalities discussed include panoramic radiography and three-dimensional imaging. We also examine the uses of recently developed computed tomography software for the evaluation of the dental implant patient and discuss the roles of both noninteractive and interactive software in this process. The second section focuses on the radiographic appearance of a number of common lesions involving the maxillofacial region. In this section, we use the gamut approach to examine a number of developmental, inflammatory, neoplastic, metabolic, and traumatic lesions or disorders. In the last section, we briefly review the subject of orthognathic surgery and the role of diagnostic imaging in the preoperative and postoperative evaluation of the orthognathic patient. The radiographic appearance of some of the more commonly performed midfacial osteotomies are presented.