New guidelines for dentists using cone-beam CT (CBCT) systems for surgeries have been established for U.K. and European practitioners.
Because CBCT carries an increased risk associated with greater radiation dose than traditional dental x-rays, the European Academy of Dentomaxillofacial Radiology (EADMFR) has developed 20 "Basic Principles" for CBCT use in dentistry, the academy announced.
The guidelines, which establish the safe and ethical use of CBCT, have been drawn up by the EADMFR in collaboration with the European Union-funded SEDENTEXCT project, which was set up to conduct research into the use of CBCT in dentistry.
"In many European countries, dentists can purchase and use CBCT without any additional training, and so there was a pressing need to establish some guidelines," SEDENTEXCT coordinator Keith Horner, a professor at the University of Manchester, said in a press release. "The 20 Basic Principles are aimed at protecting the patient and guiding the dentist toward good practice covering important areas such as justification and optimization of CBCT examinations and training of users."
Among the principles are guidelines about when CBCT examinations may be justified, as well information about training, equipment, and safety measures.
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