TMJ Section:

TMJ Radiographic Services

The x-ray technology used in our office is the elite Axiotome head and neck tomographic unit, which delivers a distortion and smear-free tomographic image. The tomographic imaging produced in our office is considered the gold standard by which any other imaging is measured and is the most accurate and reliable and most information producing technology available for viewing all the elements of the temporomandibular joints. In addition to providing temporomandibular joint tomographic sagittal and cross-sectional slices, we can provide an entire range of static skull and cervical views. These include anteroposterior, posteroanterior, lateral and submentovertex skull images as well as Water's and Town's views. Standard cervical images include not only the static C-spine views of lateral, frontal, and oblique, but also dynamic views with the head in flexion, extension, and side-bending to both sides in order to demonstrate normal or pathobiological vertebral movement under function. Our equipment has less than 1/150 of the radiation used by the standard CT scan technology and is much more accurate. Each 8 x 10 film uses less radiation than two single dental x-ray films, which are extremely low in radiation.

The tomogram creates a true radiograph whereas a CT scan is a computerized reconfiguration of digital data. The main advantages of tomography are in comfort of image production, drastically reduced cost, and the paramount importance, significantly less radiation dosage. They are also more accurate in that the use of our head holder in taking the radiographs provides us with accurate measurement of jaw and joint positions.

Tomography, unlike a CT scan or any other hospital radiology, is done in the sitting position in an open machine. The amount of x-radiation used for a typical study is 240 MRAD. The CT scan, on the other hand, used approximately 36,900 MRAD. (As means of comparison, the average single dental x-ray uses 140 MRAD). To accomplish similar imaging, the CT exposure uses 154 times more radiation than the typical tomographic study of the head and TMJ's.

We are also equipped with the latest in medical processing, imaging and duplication equipment, which uses the same hardware as hospital radiographic clinics. The company that services the developing solutions and equipment at all the local hospitals also services our state of the art processing equipment.

It is the goal of our office to consistently provide textbook archival quality radiographs for superior diagnostic use.