2D and 3D dental diagnostics in Kyiv

UKRMED in Kyiv carries out 2D imaging and 3D dental diagnostics on a Morita unit. The type of image depends on what the doctor is trying to find: one root, an impacted tooth, the shape of the jaw or enough bone for an implant. Available examinations include dental CT, OPG, intraoral X-rays and lateral cephalograms.

A patient can point to the place that hurts. The source, however, may sit below a filling, inside a root or several millimetres away in the jawbone. None of this is visible during an ordinary examination.

That is where dental imaging enters the picture. It supplies the missing anatomical detail, while the examination and symptoms give that detail meaning. Bigger is not automatically better. One tooth may call for a tiny image; implant surgery often needs a broader 3D view.

Imaging on a Morita scanner

The Morita system records digital images of the teeth, jaws and nearby structures. After scanning, the dentist can enlarge a selected area, move through separate slices and inspect it from another direction.

The scanned field is adjusted to the case. A problem around two neighbouring teeth does not necessarily justify imaging the whole mouth. Conversely, a narrow view would be unhelpful when the doctor needs to assess both jaws.

Exposure depends on the selected programme and field size. A referral therefore has a practical purpose: it identifies the area and the clinical question before the patient steps into the scanner.

Panoramic dental X-ray — OPG

An orthopantomogram, better known as an OPG, fits both jaws into one wide image. Teeth, roots, surrounding bone, developing permanent teeth and wisdom teeth appear together.

It is a useful starting view. Orthodontists often request one, as do dentists who need a general picture before deciding what to examine more closely. There is a limitation: an OPG is flat, so anatomical structures may overlap. Dental CT is chosen when their exact positions in space could affect treatment.

A local dental X-ray

Sometimes all the necessary information lies around one tooth. An intraoral image concentrates on that small area instead of showing the entire jaw.

It may expose a change near the root tip, reveal how far a root filling extends or show whether a restoration still closes tightly around its edge. During root canal treatment, this narrow view is often more useful than a large overview.

Cephalogram and cephalometry

A lateral cephalogram shows the skull and facial profile from the side. It gives an orthodontist a way to examine jaw relationships, tooth inclination and facial growth.

Cephalometry comes afterwards. The orthodontist marks reference points and measures selected angles and distances. Those figures feed into the treatment plan — they are not decorative lines drawn over an X-ray.

What appears on dental CT

A cone beam dental CT scan records the selected area in three dimensions. The dentist can move through the image layer by layer instead of trying to interpret several structures stacked over one another.

Depending on the case, the scan may reveal:

• root position and unusual canal anatomy;

• the height and width of bone intended for an implant;

• the route of the mandibular nerve canal;

• the floor of the maxillary sinus;

• an impacted or unerupted tooth;

• inflammation hidden around a root;

• the condition of the temporomandibular joints.

Consider a lower wisdom tooth. An OPG may show that it lies at an angle. A 3D scan answers the more awkward question: how close are its roots to the nerve?

Reasons for 3D imaging

Dental CT is used when spatial detail can change the treatment approach. Typical examples include implant planning, complicated extractions, oral surgery and selected root canal cases.

Orthodontic treatment may require it when a tooth has not erupted or appears outside its expected path. A scan can also help when pain continues despite an inconclusive conventional X-ray.

It is not a routine extra for every patient. Digital dentistry works best when the examination matches the question rather than collecting the largest possible image.

During the scan

Before entering the scanner, the patient removes glasses, earrings, chains and removable dental appliances. Metal in the area can leave bright streaks and hide small details.

The head is placed between supports, and the patient remains still while the unit rotates. No instrument enters the mouth. The scan is painless; holding the position for several seconds is the only real task.

Movement can blur fine anatomy, so the operator checks the result before the appointment ends. The images are later interpreted together with the patient’s symptoms, examination and previous treatment.

Dental imaging prices at UKRMED

A panoramic OPG costs UAH 400. The price of a lateral cephalogram is also UAH 400.

A 3D examination of the upper and lower jaws costs UAH 1,000. Scanning only the upper or lower jaw costs UAH 750. A local field covering two or three teeth is UAH 500, and CT of the temporomandibular joints is UAH 900. Recording the data onto a disc costs UAH 100.