Cone beam computed tomography: evaluation of maxillofacial pathology.

CBCT scans are increasingly used in evaluating osseous pathology in the maxillofacial skeleton, e.g., cysts, benign and malignant tumors, inflammatory conditions, paranasal sinus disorders, and soft-tissue calcifications. The authors discuss the diagnostic benefits and limitation of CBCT images compared to other imaging methods. CBCT scans provide superior diagnostic information compared to panoramic radiographs. In most maxillofacial diagnostic and surgical planning or follow-up needs, CBCT scans can replace multidetector CT scans.