Utilising previous radiographs: the principle of dose optimisation.

Objective: In dentistry, imaging is the most frequently used diagnostic tool. As a result, a steady increase in the use of imaging modalities are leading to an increase in healthcare cost and in patients' radiation exposure.

Results: 67-year-old patient attended for a surgical removal of lower left third molar.

Computer-aided dynamic navigation: a novel method for guided endodontics.

Objectives: To investigate the novel use of computer-aided dynamic navigation for guided endodontics.

Method And Materials: Dental casts were fabricated from sets of extracted human teeth. A cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan of each cast, with a molded thermoplastic stent and a radiographic marker attached, was obtained and imported into the planning software of a dynamic navigation implant surgery system.

Effect of rituximab on a salivary gland ultrasound score in primary Sjögren's syndrome: results of the TRACTISS randomised double-blind multicentre substudy.

Objectives: To compare the effects of rituximab versus placebo on salivary gland ultrasound (SGUS) in primary Sjögren's syndrome (PSS) in a multicentre, multiobserver phase III trial substudy.

Methods: Subjects consenting to SGUS were randomised to rituximab or placebo given at weeks 0, 2, 24 and 26, and scanned at baseline and weeks 16 and 48. Sonographers completed a 0-11 total ultrasound score (TUS) comprising domains of echogenicity, homogeneity, glandular definition, glands involved and hypoechoic foci size.

Is there a role for ultrasound-guided balloon sialoplasty technique in salivary gland structures.

Ductal stricture is a common cause of obstructive salivary gland disease. Balloon dilatation of the parotid duct as a minimally invasive technique is currently carried out under fluoroscopic guidance or during sialendocopy. We present a case report of ultrasound-guided balloon dilatation.

Anatomical relationship between mental foramen, mandibular teeth and risk of nerve injury with endodontic treatment.

Objectives: The objective of the present study was to evaluate the anatomical relationship between mental foramen (MF), including the incidence of the anterior loop of the inferior alveolar nerve (AL), and roots of mandibular teeth in relation to risk of nerve injury with endodontic treatment.

Materials And Methods: Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images, which included teeth either side of the MF, were randomly selected. The anonymised CBCT images were reconstructed and examined in coronal, axial and sagittal planes, using three-dimensional viewing software, to determine the relationship and distance between MF and adjacent mandibular teeth.

The effects of device position on the operator's radiation dose when using a handheld portable X-ray device.

Introduction: Handheld X-ray devices are now offered in dental practice. Handheld X-ray units challenge the concept of a restricted access to the "controlled area" as they are held by the operator. Although an integral lead shield is provided, the distance from the body is variable, dependent on how the device is held.

Digital radiography in the dental practice: an update.

The implementation of digital imaging in dental practice should be considered. The vast number of advantages of digital imaging include time saving and image manipulation. Dose reduction is a big attraction but in practical terms this might not be fully taken advantage of, as a number of studies suggest.

Cone beam CT in orthodontics: the current picture.

The introduction of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) technology to dentistry and orthodontics revolutionized the diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of orthodontic patients. This review article discusses the use of CBCT in diagnosis and treatment planning in orthodontics. The steps required to install and operate a CBCT facility within the orthodontic practice as well as the challenges are highlighted.