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3D X-ray technology delves into dental problems
Never overlook a toothache, even if you can ignore the pain
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Never overlook a toothache, even if you can ignore the pain.
Without proper treatment, a small toothache can develop into a severe situation. Dental problems are sometimes hidden and hard to locate.
Cracked teeth are a dental problem that is hard to spot, says Rina Permatasari, an endodontist, or tooth pulp specialist, at Pondok Indah Hospital in South Jakarta.
'At first, [the cracked tooth] may only hurt a little ' only when you bite or chew on food and get sensitive over cold temperatures. Such symptoms can last for months, but because [symptoms] are inconsistent, people tend to ignore them,' Rina said.
'When the crack worsens, the tooth gets loose and makes your gums inflamed,' Rina said at a press conference to introduce the hospital's new dental clinic.
Rina said most people cracked their teeth after chewing on hard objects, such as chicken bones; or chewing on food in the wrong position. People with poor teeth structure were also at risk.
As cracks are mostly subtle and hidden, it would be hard for a dentist to locate the problem without thorough examination.
However, with all-new 3D X-ray dentistry machine like Carestream 9300 C 3D Premium system, dentists at the clinic can find alternatives to simply extracting cracked teeth.
The machine offer three different approaches for dentists: panoramic views of the mouth, a cephalometric (head-measuring) imaging option and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) technology.
'If a dentist cannot see the crack and doesn't know how deep it is after an initial examination, he will need an X-ray scan with the 3D CBCT machine,' says Rina.
Locating cracks is hard with 2D scans, she adds. 'With 3D CBCT imaging, the dentist will get detailed information about a crack before advising on a solution.'
Rina said that if the crack didn't reach into the pulp of the tooth, she would only put a crown to cover the crack. However, if the crack reached the root, she would perform a root canal before applying the crown.
'But if the crack is too deep and it divides the tooth, the last thing I can do is to extract the cracked tooth before further treatment, which would be replacing it with an implant,' she adds.
RSPI prosthodontist, or an expert in dental restoration and replacement, Jonan Angkawidjaja says that replacing extracted teeth with implants and dentures will avoid further problems after extraction.
'The problems are shifting teeth structure, gum inflammation, jaw/joint disorder, changing vocal intonation and losing support for the lips and cheeks that cause someone's face looks older,' Jonan says, adding that losing a tooth might also affect someone's ability to chew.
Jonan says that patients can chose from dentures, crowns, removable implants and even overdentures with titanium implants placed in a person's jawbone.
'Artificial teeth with titanium implants will give an optimum stability and comfort for the wearer that will boost their confidence,' Jonan says, adding that the implants would also minimize jawbone retraction.
Jonan added that the 3D panoramic X-ray machine plays an important part in diagnosing and treating patients. 'The new machine gives us detailed anatomical imagery of the jaws and teeth, as compared to what 2D panoramic X-ray can do - which is important in making diagnoses and deciding further treatment.'
It takes two to three months time for implants and dentures, which can last up to 15 years with regular maintenance and check-ups.
Artificial teeth are priced from Rp 1 million (US$80) to Rp 20 million.
The clinic also prioritizes hygiene, as each dental tool used is wrapped in sealed Wipak package.
