The use of cone-beam computed tomography for orthodontic purposes

In the past decade, orthodontists have added cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) to their armamentarium to visualize the craniofacial complex in three dimensions. A search in PubMed indicates that the number of publications on CBCT applications is growing weekly. However, the number of publications concerning orthodontic applications is limited compared to publications that deal with applications in the field of maxillofacial surgery. Two systematic reviews and several narrative reviews have been published that give an overview of the evidence for the use of CBCT for orthodontic purposes. The SEDENTEXCT Consortium has formulated evidence-based guidelines on the use of CBCT in dental and maxillofacial radiology. Ten of these guidelines concern orthodontic applications. The purpose of this paper is to review the use of CBCT in orthodontics.