CT Scans, Explained
Why implant dentists plan in 3D, what a scan reveals that an ordinary X-ray can't, how we keep the dose low, and what it costs.
What Is a Dental CT Scan, and Is It Safe?
A dental CT scan, also called a CBCT or cone beam scan, is a 3D X-ray of your jaws. It shows the height and width of the bone, the position of the nerve and sinuses, and the roots of teeth, which a flat X-ray can't. It uses more radiation than a small dental X-ray but far less than a hospital CT, and we only take one when the 3D detail will change your treatment. At St Vincent Smile in Finnieston, Glasgow, scans are taken on our own Vatech scanner, cost £160, and are included in full-arch fees.
What Does a Dental CT Scan Show?
An ordinary dental X-ray is a flat picture: it shows the height of the bone and the shape of the roots, but not how wide the bone is or exactly where things sit from front to back. A CT scan, properly a cone beam CT or CBCT, builds a three-dimensional model of your jaws that we can turn, slice and measure on screen. It shows the height and width of the bone where a tooth is missing, the position of the nerve that runs through the lower jaw, the floor of the sinuses above the upper back teeth, the roots of neighbouring teeth, and the density of the bone an implant will sit in. That's the information that decides whether an implant can go where you need it, how long and wide it should be, whether a bone graft is needed, and how to stay clear of the nerve and sinus.
When Do We Take One?
- Planning dental implants, from a single tooth to a full arch, where it's essential for placing implants safely
- Deciding about bone grafting, because the scan shows whether there's enough bone already, whether a small graft at the same time would help, or whether the area needs rebuilding first
- Implant-retained dentures, to position the two or four implants that will hold the denture
- Full-arch treatment, where the scan is used to plan angled back implants that stay clear of the nerve and sinus, often without grafting
We don't take CT scans for routine dental examinations, where small digital X-rays give all the detail needed at a much lower dose. Every scan is clinically justified, which means we only take one when the 3D detail will change your treatment. If a scan isn't needed, we'll say so.
Need a CT Scan for Implants?
Book a free implant consultation.
Is It Safe? Radiation in Plain Terms
All X-rays use ionising radiation, and the sensible aim is to use as little as will do the job. A dental CT scan uses more radiation than a small dental X-ray, because it captures a whole volume of the jaw rather than a few teeth, but far less than a hospital CT scan, which images a much larger area of the body. The dose depends on how large an area is scanned and the settings used, so we keep the field of view as small as the job allows and the settings as low as will still give a clear picture.
UK radiation rules require every X-ray to be justified by a clinician, which is why you can't book a scan without a consultation or a referral, and why we only scan when the result will change your plan. Tell us if you are, or might be, pregnant, and we'll talk through whether the scan can wait.
What Is It Like?
Much simpler than a hospital scan. You take off glasses, earrings, necklaces and anything metal around your head, which would blur the image, then stand or sit with your chin on a rest and bite gently on a small guide. The scanner rotates once around your head, which takes a few seconds, and you need to keep still and breathe normally. There's no tunnel, no injection and nothing to feel. The images appear on screen within moments and your dentist explains them to you there and then, showing you the bone, the nerve and where an implant would sit. The scan is yours to keep.
From Scan to Surgical Guide
The scan is the start of the plan, not just a check. On the 3D model, Dr Kalsi plans the position, angle and depth of each implant to suit the bone you have, well away from the nerve and sinus. That plan is then used to make a 3D-printed surgical guide, which sits in your mouth on surgery day and positions each MegaGen AnyRidge implant exactly where it was planned, using MegaGen's R2 guided surgery system. Because the implant positions are known in advance, the procedure is often smaller and less invasive. For a full arch, the custom surgical guide comes with Premium Guided Zirconia, and with either same-day pathway your temporary teeth can be made before surgery day. It's the reason we scan every implant case, and why a decision made elsewhere on a flat X-ray alone is worth a second opinion.
What It Costs
| Scan | Fee |
|---|---|
| CT scan | £160, or £144 for dental plan members |
| CT scan, referred by another practitioner | £160 |
| Small X-ray | £10, included in dental plans |
| Full-arch implants, per arch | From £9,300, with the CT scan included |
Implant consultations are free, with a £40 deposit refunded within 7 days of attending, and a scan is only added if you need one. For single and multiple implants the CT scan is charged separately; for full-arch treatment it's included in all four pathway fees, with 3D planning, the implants, your final bridge and reviews. Anything beyond that, such as extractions, same-day temporary teeth or a custom surgical guide, depends on your pathway.2 Our implant cost guide lists every fee.
Referrals From Other Dentists
Dentists and other registered clinicians across Glasgow and Scotland can refer patients for a CT scan at £160, or an iTero Lumina scan at £120.2 Scan files are sent back securely within 48 hours as DICOM files, ready for your planning software. It's scan files only; no radiology report is included. Patients can't self-refer for X-ray imaging, because a clinician has to decide a scan is justified, but anyone can book a free consultation with us to discuss it, and if a scan is needed it's taken here on the same visit. The referrals page has the form, and our technology page covers the rest of what's on site.
Questions
This guide is general information, not a diagnosis. A dentist needs to examine you to say what is right for your teeth.