In order to perform radiological investigations, there is no need for an appointment. If you are receiving 3D CBCT radiographs during the day that you are scheduled to visit your physician, it would be preferable that you arrive at our practice at least one hour before the appointment. 3D CBCT radiographs are complex investigations and takes about 20-45 minutes for them to be released after performing the investigation.

Intraoral (retroalveolar, bitewing, occlusal) or extraoral (panoramic, cephalometric) dental radiograph is a bidimensional image of the hard tissues obtained by using X-rays.

3D CBCT cone- beam computed tomography is an imaging technique that uses X-rays that are divergent, forming a cone, and captures tridimensional images of the patient’s anatomy. In comparison to 2D radiographs, computed tomography provides additional information related to the thickness or shape of the patient’s bone tissue.

Dental radiographs are entirely pain-free investigations.

Radiographs are the first step in starting treatment, since the majority of dental conditions are invisible to the naked eye. Using radiographs, interdental cavities, root infections, bone loss, erupting teeth, cysts and dental fissures that appear following trauma can be observed, to name just a few.

Before receiving panoramic and cephalometric radiographs or 3D CBCT computed tomography, it will be necessary to remove all jewellery from the head and neck area (bobby pins, earrings, necklaces, piercings or hair extensions that have metallic parts). You will need to also remove mobile prosthetic dentures or snap-in prosthetic dentures.

Intraoral investigations do not require any special preparation.

As the equipment rotates around your head, metallic items create light effects that can superimpose over the radiographic images, obstructing areas of interest.

When receiving intraoral radiographs (retroalveolar, bitewing, occlusal radiographs) you will be asked to sit on a chair and bite a sterile rod, called a holder. The sensor that captures the radiological image is embedded in this rod. It is very important not to move and to breathe through your nose whilst performing the investigation.

The panoramic radiograph requires standing in front of the equipment. You will be asked to bite on a plastic piece and to rest your chin on the chinrest attached to the equipment. During the panoramic radiograph it is required for the tongue to be attached to the palate. It is also required not to swallow and to breathe through the nose. It is important to stand as straight as possible and not to move during the scan. You will know when the equipment will start recording the radiograph, because it will make a sound signal. Immediately after, the equipment’s arm will start rotating around your head.

All radiographs performed in the DentaVis Centers are issued immediately. The waiting time varies according to the performed radiograph. 2D intraoral and extraoral (panoramic, cephalometric) radiographs are released 5 minutes after the investigation is completed. 3D CBCT tomography is a more complex investigation and therefore the results are released 20 to 45 minutes after the completion of the scan.

We kindly ask you to take this into account in case that you have an appointment with your physician on the same day that you will perform the radiological investigation.

Of all radiological investigations that are performed in the medical field, digital dental radiographs use by far the lowest level of radiation. In the DentaVis Digital Dental Radiology Centres we are constantly investing in improvement and our patient’s health is uppermost in our mind. We use the latest generation of Soredex digital equipment that emits the lowest amount of radiation on the market. Also, in the DentaVis Centres, the protecting lead apron is always used.

You can find further details on this matter in the DentaVis Radiation Information Leaflet.

Digital dental radiography and 3D CBCT tomography use a very low level of radiation. It is important to understand that dental radiography does not impact the embryo, the organogenesis process or birth. The radiations emitted by digital dental X-ray equipment are extremely low, aimed towards the teeth, and their reflection towards the areas considered at risk (abdomen, ovaries, and breasts) is avoided by using a special apron that contains lead. However, as an additional precaution it is recommended to avoid performing radiographs during the first and last trimester of pregnancy.

It is important that, following the dentist’s guidance, periodical examinations of the children are performed starting at an early age, as their dentition is constantly evolving.

Radiological equipment used in the DentaVis Centres is equipped with imaging software that is especially designed for paediatric patients, with minimal radiation doses.