Glossary

In recent years, the predictability and success rate of dental implants has improved exponentially. This is largely due to improved techniques as a result of improved technology. As implants have become more sophisticated, most dentists are using CBCT technology to plan dental implant materials and procedures. Often, a surgeon will work with a restorative dentist, who examines the patient and determines the optimal placement of the tooth for the best aesthetic and restorative effect. The surgeon then determines if that placement is possible given the patient’s unique bone and tooth structure and what steps would need to be taken before the implant is placed (such as a bone graft). A radiographic guide for dental implants is typically used by both surgeons and restorative dentists to transfer the desired tooth placement to the mouth in a form that can be used with CBCT. A radiographic guide is not a surgical guide, but rather, it is a guide that helps determine if the optimal implant placement is achievable.

A radiographic marker is a radiopaque structure of known dimension. The term also applies to a material incorporated in, or applied to, a radiographic template in order to yield positional or dimensional information. The importance of radiographic markers is due in part to their function: they mark the position of specific x-ray images or areas of interest in an x-ray image. Pro X-ray markers provide dental and medical offices with a variety of marker options that can be personalized according to color, style, font, and initials. These types of personalized markers can help identify the technician who performed the x-ray and aid in x-ray tracking. X-ray marker holders can also be ordered to provide a safe and organized way to store x-ray markers. Some medical or dental offices may choose to select a personalized marker holder that reflects the style, design, or marketing scheme of their practice.

A radiographic template, or radiographic guide, is a type of dental appliance that is designed to convey the desired position of the teeth needing to be implanted in a way that can be included in a cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan. Radiographic templates are typically made by dental professionals for implanting one or more teeth using a type of acrylic to replicate the approximate shape and size of the final crown. When worn during a CBCT, the prosthetic teeth should align with where the dental implants need to be placed. A channel through the teeth replicates where the dentist plans to put the screw head of the abutment egress the incisal or occlusal of the implant. The rest of the template is made from a radiolucent material, which will not show on the scan and helps to hold the radiopaque teeth in place without moving during the CBCT scan.

Radionecrosis, or radiation necrosis, is a term used in the medical industry to describe the aftereffects of radiation therapy. It refers to the breakdown of body tissue at the original tumor site and occurs some time after radiation has been completed. It takes the form of a focal structural lesion that may potentially be a long-term complication of radiosurgery or radiotherapy that affects the central nervous system (CNS). If radiation necrosis occurs, the body may not be able to replace the damaged tissue. While radionecrosis can occur in any type of body tissue treated with radiation, the most common form of this condition found in dentistry is osteoradionecrosis, or the necrosis (death) of bone tissue. Osteoradionecrosis is quite rare, but when it does develop, it typically does so in the lower mandible or jawbone because this area has a lower blood supply than other bony structures of the mouth and jaw.

The word “radiopaque” simply means that a substance is opaque, or cannot be seen through, under radiation. The most common example of something radiopaque is the human skeleton. Bones cannot be seen through under radiation, which is why x-rays are such an effective way of visualizing bones. Human skin, eyes, and other soft tissues are radiotransparent or radiotranslucent, which means they either will not be visible under radiation or they will be faint and easily seen through. Radiopaque substances are often used in the medical field for diagnostic purposes, such as drinking barium before an x-ray to visualize the normally radiotranslucent intestines. In dentistry, radiopaque materials include dental implants, braces, amalgam fillings, and some cosmetic restorative materials. The different levels of radiopacity of fillings, enamel, pulp, tooth decay, gums, and other oral structures help dental professionals diagnose a number of conditions including caries, cysts, gum disease, impacted wisdom teeth, and more.