Medical Imaging in Oral Implantology: Current Status and Practical Recommendations

Dental Implantology is an exciting and rapidly advancing restorative field, and as with any surgical technique involving manipulation of bone, medical imaging is an invaluable tool for the implantologist. Imaging of the implant sites is required in the diagnostic, surgical, prosthetic and follow-up stages of treatment. However, the sideeffects of ionizing radiation associated with medical imaging coupled with an increasing risk of exposure to natural radiation weigh heavily against the choice of imaging modality that is to be used. An informed choice regarding the correct imaging modality at each stage of treatment is therefore of prime importance in the successful treatment of the patient. This review examines the various medical and dental imaging modalities available to the implantologist and attempts to provide a guide for the selection of imaging tool at various stages of treatment to ensure that all required structures are clearly visualized while exposing the patient to the minimal effective dose of radiation throughout the treatment and also inthe follow-up stages.