XG-3D Bitewings: Finding Their Place in my Practice
I certainly did not buy my XG-3D last month for the bitewing feature but it was something that found a niche in my office right away. I was excited to take my first scan and see all of the cool things that I have been seeing posted for a long time. As luck would have it the first week after installation was mostly college kids getting ready to head back to school. As our younger patients grow up and mature, we have done such a great job taking care of them with hygiene education, Flouride treatments and sealants that they are sometimes not so comfortable with treatment. I have found that being able to take quality Bitewings can be a challenge if not impossible.
Well, in walks the XG-3D with its extra-oral bitewing function to make the process a whole lot easier. I look at this function as a middle ground between those patients that tolerate Bitewings well and those that for whatever reason just cannot. The reasons for getting poor intra-oral films are; gaggers, patients with large Tori and those with strong musculature that tend to displace a sensor. Those that can tolerate a sensor being placed in the mouth get my fantastic Schick 33 sensor every time.
In one quick process using the XG-3D, I can get something that is the equivalent of a vertical bitewing. I can see caries but also the full roots and apices as well as the third molar area and beyond. What a great diagnostic tool. Proper positioning is critical to get a good image but after a few the learning curve drops off dramatically. Sure a well placed intra oral sensor can give a superior image. I find the place for extra oral bitewings to be those that are just resistant to having films placed in their mouths. Or those that give it a great try but you just end up with a poorly diagnostic result.
It’s great for emergencies as well. Gone are the days of taking a bitewing to see the extent of the decay and then a peri apical to see if there is peri apical pathology. Plus, you can evaluate the rest of the dentition at the same time.
Extra-oral bitewings were not something I planned on using much but have been a great addition to my practice. Used appropriately, they fill a void that really needed to be filled. I love them and patients love them. It’s a win-win.
