title: The accuracy of spiral tomography to assess bone quantity for the preoperative planning of implants in the posterior maxilla.
abstract: When planning to place implants in the posterior region of the maxilla, the location of the maxillary sinus floor is influencing the available bone height and the implant length chosen. The aim of the present study was to evaluate in vitro the spiral tomographic technique that could be used for pre-operative implant planning. Tomographs were taken of 6 dry human skulls using the Cranex Tome multifunctional unit (Orion Corporation Soredex, Helsinki, Finland). Three sites were selected in the left posterior maxilla and marked with gutta percha meaning a total of 18 sites (6 x 3 = 18) for interpretation. Bone height and width were measured on the tomographs and after sectioning also on the skulls. The values obtained from the measurements on tomographs were divided by an enlargement factor of 1.5 (as defined by the manufacturer) and then compared with those from the real measurements on the skulls. Real measurements were on average 0.24 mm (SD 0.19) lower than the tomographic measurements (P < 0.05). From the present results it could be concluded that spiral tomography using the recently developed Cranex Tome reveals sufficient information and detail for pre-operative planning of a limited edentulous region.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Catholic University Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bou Serhal
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Persoons
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hermans
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: van Steenberghe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001641:Bicuspid; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous; D006801:Humans; D008437:Maxilla; D008443:Maxillary Sinus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008963:Molar; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D014056:Tomography, X-Ray / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*