A novel method of removing artifacts because of metallic dental restorations in 3-D CT images of jaw bone.

CT images, especially in a three-dimensional (3-D) mode, give valuable information for oral implant surgery. However, image quality is often severely compromised by artifacts originating from metallic dental restorations, and an effective solution for artifacts is being sought. This study attempts to substitute the damaged areas of the jaw bone images with dental cast model images obtained by CT. The position of the dental cast images was registered to that of the jaw bone images using a devised interface that is composed of an occlusal bite made of self-curing acrylic resin and a marker plate made of gypsum. The patient adapted this interface, and CT images of the stomatognathic system were filmed. On the other hand, this interface was placed between the upper and lower cast models and filmed by CT together with the cast models. The position of the marker plate imaged with the dental casts was registered to those adapted by the patient. The error of registration was examined to be 0.25 mm, which was satisfactory for clinical application. The damaged region in the cranial bone images as an obstacle for implant surgery was removed and substituted with the trimmed images of the dental cast. In the method developed here, the images around the metallic compounds severely damaged by artifacts were successfully reconstructed, and the stomatognathic system images became clear, and this is useful for implant surgery.