Applications of Cone Beam Computed Tomography in Orthodontics: A Review.

Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) is being extensively used in orthodontics for diagnostic and treatment planning, especially in complex clinical conditions. The objective of this study was to review the English language literature for current applications and trends of CBCT in orthodontic diagnosis and treatment. Several electronic databases were searched with the primary words: "orthodontics and radiography" and "cone beam computed tomography" or "CBCT." Abstracts that appeared to fulfill our inclusion criteria were selected, and the complete articles were obtained. Twenty-eight abstracts initially met our search criteria, and 12 were selected for the review. Ten articles were later added to the list after hand searching the references. It was concluded that there is a need for prospective randomized clinical trials to evaluate the risk/benefit ratio of CBCT, such as higher cost, greater risk for radiation dose (compared to digital panoramic and cephalograms) versus superior diagnosis and treatment outcomes.