Preimplant planning with complex imaging techniques has long been a recommended practice for assessing the quality and quantity of alveolar bone before dental implant placement. When maxillofacial imaging is necessary, static film or digital images lack the depth and dimension offered by computed tomography. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) offers the dentist not only a radiographic volumetric view of alveolar bone but also a 3-dimensional reconstruction. This article reviews the use of CBCT for assessing implant placement and early detection of failure, and compares the performance of CBCT with that of other imaging modalities in the early detection of implant failure.
Key points
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Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) has become a helpful tool in assessing the stability of the dental implant site.
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Little is known about the ability of CBCT to evaluate peri-implant bone wall morphology or about its performance compared with conventional radiographic modalities, such as periapical radiography.
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For patients with postoperative complications, diagnostic imaging, including CBCT, may be indicated as a supplement to the clinical examination, although in most cases conventional radiographs will provide the necessary information.
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More studies are needed to determine the actual role of CBCT in detecting early implant failure.
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