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DIGITAL RADIOGRAPHY PRODUCES QUICKER, PATIENT FRIENDLY X-RAYS
NEW YORK, May 8, 1998 -- As new technologies are introduced and equipment prices continue to drop, digital radiography will rapidly replace conventional dental X-rays and provide several benefits to the patient, according to endodontists speaking here at the American Association of Endodontists' (AAE) 55th Annual Session.
"Today about 10 percent of endodontists are using digital radiography and within the next five to 10 years, I would say most endodontists, and many more dentists will be using it," said John A. Khademi, DDS, MS, an endodontist in private practice in San Leandro, Calif. Digital radiography is a type of X-ray that uses a small sensor instead of the film used in conventional X-rays. The sensor transmits the image to a computer monitor.
Endodontists are dentists who specialize in root canal procedures. They have taken the lead among dentists in using digital radiography because the endodontic procedures they perform require them to take more X-rays than most other dentists.
"I have used digital radiography in my office for almost two years; we have abandoned traditional X-rays completely," said AAE President Denis E. Simon III, DDS, MS. "The technology is constantly improving, allowing patients to better understand their problem since they can view it on a computer screen."
Dr. Khademi cited three advantages of digital radiography over conventional X-rays: less radiation exposure, enhanced patient education and faster dental procedures.
"Lower radiation is important," Dr. Khademi said. "Although dental X-rays are very safe, we always strive to use the least amount of radiation possible. Digital radiography uses about one-sixth the dose. The newer technologies are working to reduce it even further but right now that can't be done without the quality of the image suffering."
Dr. Khademi said one of the most exciting benefits of digital radiography is the way it allows the patient to better understand his or her treatment.
"Patient education is one of the biggest benefits. You get to show the patient an X-ray on a 17-inch or 20-inch computer monitor at chair side," he said. "They love it. I've had patients say things like, 'I've never understood what a root canal is. I've never had it explained to me like this before.'"
An endodontic procedure is performed when the soft inner tissue of the tooth, called the pulp, becomes damaged or diseased. The endodontist removes the tissue and replaces it with biocompatible filling and sealing materials. The tooth is then usually restored to full use with a crown by a general dentist or other practitioner.
This better understanding of the procedure helps with informed consent, Dr. Khademi said. "It makes it much easier for patients to make treatment decisions when they understand the treatment. When you can say, 'here's the curved canal and here's the calcified canal,' they can actually see what you're talking about."
The technology also helps the endodontist communicate with the referring dentist and the insurance company. The images that appear on the computer monitor can be printed on paper and viewed without special light boxes required for conventional X-rays. "Patients can have copies, insurance companies can have copies, anyone can have a copy because the image is part of the permanent computer record," Dr. Simon said.
Digital radiography will help cut down on the time patients spend in the dental chair. In one type of digital radiography called CCD or Charged Couple Device, the sensor is attached to a wire and the pictures appear on the monitor instantaneously. Another technology, called storage phosphor technology or image phosphor technology, uses a soft, flexible wireless imaging plate and laser scanner. A single image can be processed in 25 seconds; a full-mouth series can be processed in between one and three minutes. Both are faster than conventional X-rays, which take between three minutes and five minutes for a single film to be processed.
"In an endodontist's office, you could be taking multiple X-rays, and if you can save patients 10 or 15 minutes in the chair, they really appreciate it," Dr. Khademi said.
Digital radiography has been available for more than 10 years, but it has been slow to catch on because the cost was prohibitive until recently. Dr. Khademi said that eight or nine years ago it cost more than $35,000 to equip one room. "Today you can equip two rooms with better quality images, better everything for half that," he said.
Many endodontists believe it is a worthwhile investment. "I would not go back to traditional X-rays unless something would force me to give up digital imaging," Dr. Simon said.
More than 2,000 practitioners and educators from more than 40 countries are attending the AAE's 55th Annual Session in New York. The American Association of Endodontists is the recognized specialty organization of 5,000 endodontists and other dental professionals worldwide. The Association was founded in 1943 to promote the interchange of ideas, to stimulate research and to encourage the highest standard of quality care in the practice of endodontics. The AAE is headquartered in Chicago.
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Editor's note: Dr. Khademi's presentation on digital radiography is at 9 a.m., Saturday, May 9, in Beckman Suite, at the New York Hilton and Towers. Mitchell H. Davich, DMD, will give a presentation, Wireless Digital Radiography, at 2 p.m., Friday, May 8, in Sutton Suite South at the Hilton. Both presenters are available for interviews, and arrangements can be made to view equipment on the exhibit floor. B-roll of digital radiography also is available for television.
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