Digital Imaging Without Limits: Air Techniques’ ScanX®

Many dentists, like Dean Glasser, DDS, understand that the use of digital radiography is an essential component to implant treatment planning and intrasurgical evaluation. As a professor at Columbia University Dental School, Glasser has constant access to cutting-edge treatment and technology.

“After testing multiple digital radiography systems, my office selected Air Techniques’ ScanX® Classic,” says Glasser, who has had a private practice focusing on implantology and full-mouth reconstruction for the past 25 years in Long Island, New York.

“The ScanX product line was a seamless transition from analog or hard sensor-based radiography to phosphor storage plate (PSP) technology. There is virtually no learning curve for the staff as the ScanX has the versatility to utilize dental offices’ existing imaging and practice management software through TWAIN settings,” Glasser says.

Prior to digital radiography, the use of analog films involved processors, chemicals, and maximum radiation exposure to produce an image of diagnostic quality. “Air Techniques’ ScanX PSP allows for a significant reduction in radiation exposure time and is 30 times thinner than wired sensors. With the use of barrier envelopes, my patients and staff are fully protected,” Glasser says.

From a cost-effective perspective, the ScanX PSP excels at $40 per plate, and each plate can be immediately reused, thanks to the automatic read-and-erase technology. The hard sensor at $7,500 is a considerable investment but a typical dental office, with multiple users can confidently invest in the ScanX and easily afford size 0, 1, 2, and 3 PSP imaging plates. A comparable setup with wired sensors is veritably cost prohibitive.

“Where most wired sensor offices utilize 1 to 2 sensors of the same size, this PSP-based system is well equipped with multiple sizes at a fraction of the cost,” he says.

The image size of a ScanX size-2 PSP provides 17% more image area than a comparable size-2 wired sensor, for instance. This is an important factor in achieving more complete and comprehensive diagnoses using radiographic analysis.

“Wired sensors are notorious for missing periapical pathology anatomic landmarks, not to mention missed diagnoses in an anterior posterior direction. The ability to place a PSP and have real-time diagnostic information during a sedation and/or surgical case is invaluable,” Glasser says.

One of the biggest advantages of using a PSP is its thinness and flexibility, allowing the ability to bend to the contours of the mouth. “This is extremely valuable for patients with a gagging problem as it allows for a hemostat to be clamped directly onto the PSP,” Glasser says.

This technique facilitates a less-invasive placement of the imaging plate. Clamping of a wired sensor would likely cause physical damages to the sensor and invalidates the end user’s warranty. The applications for implant surgery case planning of routine implant cases is extremely predictable with the ScanX and most imaging software. Glasser adds, “The ability to check for osseous landmarks such as nerves and sinuses allows me to correct for angulations and accurately plan an implant case.”

The elimination of guesswork makes implantology more predictable, even in the most complex implant cases, asserts Glasser.

“Complex implant cases tend to include multiple surgical sites and require the sedation of a patient as well as a completely sterile working surgical field, where the patient is draped and hooked up to monitors,” he says. “ScanX serves a very significant role.”

He adds, “Intrasurgical evaluation and cross referencing is extremely simple with the use of the ScanX PSP. Depending on the level of sedation, a patient can easily hold a hemostat attached to a PSP. As a result of this versatility, I can confidently and predictably ascertain critical real-time diagnostic information without having to break the sterile environment.”

The ScanX product line has the ability to handle larger multiuser offices and smaller dental practices alike, with a 100% active image area of the PSP providing for 17% more diagnostic information than that of hand sensors. As a result of its intrinsically thin design and flexibility, the PSP can easily be placed into virtually all areas of the mouth with complete comfort as compared to the wired hard sensors. Through TWAIN settings, the ScanX product line can transfer high resolution with maximum-size radiographs to most imaging and practice-management software. This seamless transition is extremely useful for both the dentist and the staff.

“ScanX PSP product line as compared to wired sensors provides a faster, easier, and overall better solution to digital radiography from the simplest to the most complex implant cases,” Glasser says.

Air Techniques Inc.
1295 Walt Whitman Road
Melville, NY 11747
516-433-7676
airtechniques.com