Cone-beam CT for preoperative implant planning in the posterior mandible: visibility of anatomic landmarks.

BACKGROUND: The technical development has given a new type of modality, cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). This technique has a high potential to solve different diagnostic problems among which is preoperative planning for implants in the posterior mandible.
PURPOSE: The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the visibility of the mandibular canal and the marginal bone crest and the agreement between observers in images from one CBCT technique.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty consecutive patients were examined with 3D Accuitomo (J. Morita Mfg. Corp., Kyoto, Japan) in one side of the mandible, where the second premolar and molars were lost. The examined volume was 30 by 40 mm. Seven observers evaluated the visibility and the location of the mandibular canal and the marginal crest by visually deciding if the structures were clearly visible, probably visible, or invisible in one cross-sectional image, approximately 1 cm posterior to the mental foramen. In a later session, the observers also marked the two anatomic structures. If the decision was not "clearly visible" or if the anatomic structures were difficult to identify, the observers had to use other cross-sectional, axial, and/or sagittal images in the volume.
RESULTS: The confidence among the observers evaluating the marginal bone crest was high. Two observers never used any other images, and the rest took help in two to seven cases. When marking the mandibular canal, the observers, in general, used more images. In five cases (17%), all the observers only used the single cross-sectional image. The agreement on the position of the canal was also high.
CONCLUSION: With this CBCT modality (3D Accuitomo), the visibility of the mandibular canal and the marginal crest, as well as the observer agreement of the location of these structures, was high. Hence, the 3D Accuitomo can be recommended for implant planning in the posterior mandible.