The role of digital volume tomography in the imaging of impacted teeth.

AIM Digital volume tomography is presented here as an alternative to routine computerized tomography in the diagnosis and treatment planning of impacted teeth. MATERIAL AND METHODS A sample of 20 patients with a variety of types of tooth impaction was investigated and five representative cases are described. The potential disadvantages of digital volume tomography--inferior spatial resolution of subtle structures and limited representation of soft tissues--were of no clinical significance in the presented cases of impacted teeth. The method provides 3-dimensional images closely akin to regular computerized tomography imaging, yet the amount of radiation produced is less than one sixth that for regular computer tomography and its cost is considerably less. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION There is reason to recommend the routine adoption of digital volume tomography imaging for positional diagnosis in most cases of impaction of teeth that are candidates for orthodontic resolution.