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In part two, oral and maxillofacial radiologist Dr. Chris Matessi shows general dentists how to read a CBCT more like a radiologist: the best views for endodontics, the limits of CBCT for cracks and caries, how to tell benign from malignant lesions, how to measure accurately for implants, and how to interpret common TMJ findings.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The views he uses to evaluate endodontically treated teeth and find missed canals like MB2
• Assessing canal configuration, calcification, dilacerations, and apical anatomy
• Why CBCT is poor at detecting cracked teeth, and its limits for diagnosing caries
• Benign versus malignant lesions: zone of transition, displacement, root resorption, and the floating tooth appearance
• Why you should review the teeth last when reading a scan
• Placing the virtual implant before measuring bone to avoid parallax error
• Is CBCT the standard of care for implants and endodontics, and where to find position papers
• Why ear pain and TMJ pain are so easily confused
• Condylar osteophytes, beaking, and flattening: what they mean and when to act
• Bifid condyles and other anatomic variants
• Why clinicians and radiologists should collaborate more closely

Questions answered in this episode:

Can CBCT detect a cracked tooth? Not reliably. Incomplete cracks limited to the crown are a clinical diagnosis. Imaging helps once there is bone loss or a separated fragment.

Why place the implant in the software before measuring? Measuring along the planned implant axis avoids parallax errors that can overestimate available bone.

Does a condylar osteophyte need treatment? Usually not. It is often an adaptive remodeling response. Treatment is driven by symptoms, but it's worth weighing before major occlusal or orthodontic changes.

About the guest: Dr. Chris Matessi is an oral and maxillofacial radiologist who practiced clinical dentistry for seven years before specializing in radiology. He reads CBCT scans for general dentists and specialists and built a collaborative case-sharing platform for referring clinicians.

Hosted by Dr. Melissa Seibert, DMD, MS, FAGD, ABGD. The Dental Digest Podcast is a top 1% podcast for general dentists focused on clinical dentistry: restorative dentistry, occlusion, endodontics, implants, imaging, and practice growth. For CE, case discussions, and a community of GPs who love clinical dentistry, join Elevated GP at theelevatedgp.com.