Indispensable for Intraoral Radiography

James G. Kouzoukian, DDS, on the Air Techniques SCANX® DUO

As a general dentist with 36 years of experience, I am hesitant to change the procedures and workflows that have served me well in building my practice and establishing a dental home for my patients. When the time came for me to choose a replacement for my use of outdated film-based periapical and bitewing radiography 14 years ago, I needed a solution that was not only going to be diagnostically excellent but also going to be well tolerated by my patients and expand my restorative, endodontic, and surgical prowess for a favorable return on investment.

After considerable research and careful evaluation of the inadequate digital radiographs that I received from other dentists, I concluded that inflexible, hard-wired sensors were absolutely unacceptable for many reasons, not the least of which was the discomfort experienced by patients upon their placement at the initial diagnostic appointment. An uncomfortable visit that resulted from merely exposing intraoral radiographs would be counterproductive to patients' confidence in my practice.

My solution was the ScanX^® Duo, a computed radiography system that is produced by industry leader Air Techniques. When holding and feeling the thin and flexible photostimulable phosphor plates (PSPs), my initial impression was to wonder how this seemingly easy-to-use technique could produce the quality radiographic imaging that is necessary for diagnostics?

After purchasing the system and beginning to use it on patients, I was genuinely pleased. The PSPs are manufactured in all of the sizes in which x-ray film is available. For my pediatric patients, I use size No. 0 and size No. 1, and for my adult patients, I use size No. 2. Due to the high cost of hard-wired sensors for direct digital radiography, many practices are only able to purchase one sensor in the most common size, which is comparable to ScanX Duo's size No. 1 PSP. My patients tolerated the PSPs quite well for periapical imaging, even in the presence of extremely large tori, during necessary third molar visualization, and with pediatric size arches. In addition, hemostats can be used to stabilize PSPs, which is impossible when using hard-wired sensors.

Since adopting the ScanX Duo, I've subsequently expanded my practice's production through the performance of more third molar extractions and endodontic procedures. My ability to diagnose various dental pathoses was enhanced because the comfortable and appropriate sensor placement allows for visualization of a wide anatomic area around all of the teeth in the mouth, including areas that are distal to the third molars and areas that are beyond the apex of long-rooted teeth.

Practicing with the ScanX Duo has taught me that a picture is worth a thousand words, but a happy and well-informed patient at the diagnostic stage of a dental visit is priceless.

Key Takeaways

Thanks to the 100% active surface area of the ScanX PSPs, you'll capture up to 40% more of your patients' oral anatomy than with a comparably sized wired sensor

ScanX PSPs are up to 30 times thinner than wired sensors and are flexible with rounded corners to provide optimum comfort for your patients

A film-like workflow enables your staff to confidently start using ScanX Duo with virtually no learning curve, which can result in fewer retakes

The durable PSPs require no annual maintenance fees or costly insurance and can be reused hundreds of times

About the Author

James G. Kouzoukian, DDS
Private Practice
Forest Hills, New York

Manufacturer Information

Air Techniques
airtechniques.com
800-247-8324