The system’s standard 8 cm × 8 cm field of view captures both arches in a single scan and collimates to 4 cm in height to capture a single arch. The extended- diameter scan mode widens the field to 14 cm × 8 cm, capturing both condyles (as well as the maxilla and both temporomandibular joints) and provides a traditional 2D panoramic feature without changing sensors. Compact file sizes and DICOM 3-compatability facilitate sharing of 3D data and images.

Scan Speed and Reconstruction Times

According to Gendex, the GXCB-500 scans images in 8.9 seconds and produces full 3D reconstruction in less than 20 seconds. Eight of the 10 dentists who participated in this evaluation rated scan speed and reconstruction times as excellent and 2 rated them as very good. The evaluator who called scan speed “critical for minimizing movement artifacts” described the unit as “the best on the market.”

System Flexibility (Scan Sizes and Views)

The i-CAT-powered GXCB-500 provides access to a range of highly accurate anatomical information (eg, panoramic, temporomandibular joint [TMJ], cross-sectional slices, 3D model rendering) without distortion or magnification. Flexibility in providing both standard- and extended-scan sizes was rated as excellent by 6 evaluators and as very good by 4. One evaluator called the extended-view “excellent for third molar and TMJ evaluation” and another called image capture “very simple and intuitive…handled completely by auxiliary staff.”

Ease of use of the software (view- and screenchanging capability) was rated as excellent by 7 evaluators and as very good to good by 3. One evaluator called it “very straightforward and intuitive. Most average computer users will pick it up very fast.” Two dentists noted the “ease of switching” between views; 1 said it took “1 simple click to get from one view to another.”

Image Sharing

Nine dentists rated the GXCB-500’s ability to integrate with third-party 3D imaging software as excellent and 1 rated it as good. One evaluator said, “I can convert the information to DICOM myself. It’s nice not to be tethered.” Another evaluator said exporting in DICOM 3-compatible format “makes use of all third-party software possible.”

Diagnostic and Therapeutic Needs

The GXCB-500’s ability to provide relevant diagnostic and treatment-planning information was rated as excellent by 7 evaluators and as very good by 3. One evaluator said it “gives me all the data I’ll ever need for treatment planning. I don’t know how I got along without it.”

Ability of the medium field of view to serve procedure-related clinical needs was rated as excellent by 8 evaluators and as very good by 2. One evaluator said, “You really need expanded field of view for TMJ treatment and evaluation.” Another dentist stated, “Everything most dental professionals need can be captured in [extended diameter scan]…just like having a panorex. I didn’t need all the extra information from the orbits up.” Another evaluator said medium field “provides nearly ideal balance of cost to value.”

Overall Satisfaction

All 10 evaluators said they would definitely purchase the GXCB-500 again and recommend it to colleagues, and 9 called it much or somewhat better than similar cone beam systems. Overall satisfaction was rated as excellent by 7 evaluators and as very good by 3. One evaluator said patients “appreciate not having to be shipped out to an imaging center” and another said, “Everyone is completely blown away when they see what it can do.” One dentist said GXCB-500-generated information “has raised our practice’s standard of care.”