The First MRI System for Dental Use

🦷 The First MRI System for Dental Use

Would the widespread use of a new imaging modality in dentistry pave the way for developing new AI systems for its rapid analysis? 🤖🤔

🗞️ The Announcement

Dentsply Sirona and Siemens Healthineers have teamed up to launch the MAGNETOM Free.Max Dental Edition, the first MRI system designed just for dental use. This system uses MRI's unique ability to visualize soft tissues, the latest image reconstruction technologies, and a special magnet design to provide reliable, radiation-free diagnostic information every time.

💡 The Impact

This new MRI system is set to shake up dental imaging and diagnostics. It offers advanced soft tissue imaging, which could boost diagnostic accuracy for various dental issues and improve patient outcomes. The potential impact includes:

• Becoming a key differentiator for dental practices.
• Offering advanced diagnostic capabilities.
• Potentially increasing patient referrals.
• Initially expected to be adopted by hospitals and universities rather than small dental clinics.

🚀 Breaking Barriers in Dental Imaging

Current dental imaging tools often miss the full picture needed to diagnose certain conditions or catch early-stage oral diseases, particularly soft tissue diseases. By using MRI, we can fill this gap, making the invisible visible and providing a more complete diagnostic tool to work alongside existing methods.

👀 Making the Invisible Visible

The main goal of the ddMRI system is to enhance dentomaxillofacial diagnostics by providing clear images of soft tissues. Unlike traditional dental imaging like x-rays and CBCT, this MRI system offers unique benefits across different dental specialties:

• Endodontics:
  • Provides detailed soft tissue information that can be useful for periapical lesion detection.
• Periodontics:
  • Shows inflammation clearly, aiding in diagnosing periodontitis and peri-implantitis.
• Oral Surgery:
  • Visualizes nerves, important for procedures like tooth extraction.
• Orthodontics:
  • Safe, radiation-free imaging for frequent follow-ups.
• Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorders:
  • Allows visualization of the TMJ disc and assessment of its condition.

🔧 Key Features of the MAGNETOM Free.Max Dental MRI

The MAGNETOM Free.Max Dental Edition is built specifically for dentistry with the following features:

• Specific scan protocols tailored for dental needs.
• User-friendly operation designed for dentists.
• Quick imaging process (about 20 minutes).
• Workflow similar to dental CBCT scans.
• Compact size and helium-free cooling, making it easy to install in dental schools and universities.

🛠️ Pioneering Dental-Dedicated MRI

This MRI system is designed to meet the specific needs of dentists, offering a seamless and quick dental-dedicated workflow with intuitive and automated patient setup and acquisition.

🏗️ Eliminating Infrastructure Complexity

The compact and lightweight design of the MAGNETOM Free.Max Dental Edition, along with its helium-free DryCool technology, makes it easy to integrate into existing dental setups without significant infrastructure changes.

🛒 Availability and Cost

• CE market clearance is expected by the end of the year.
• FDA 510k submission planned for early 2025.
• Expected to be available for order in Q3/Q4 of selected markets.
• Deliveries potentially starting mid-2025.
• Expected to be more affordable than traditional MRIs, including necessary infrastructure investments.

📣 Expert Opinions

Professor Dr. Rubens Spin-Neto from Aarhus University in Denmark believes the ddMRI system could lead to more precise and successful patient treatments by providing additional information compared to CBCT scans. Dentsply Sirona and Siemens Healthineers are optimistic about making advanced diagnostic imaging more accessible to dentists and their patients.

📊 Conclusion

• The MAGNETOM Free.Max Dental Edition is a significant step forward in dental imaging technology.
• As it becomes more widely used, it could change how dental diagnostics are done.
• Potentially making MRI scans as common as CBCT scans in dental practices.
• Collaboration between Dentsply Sirona and Siemens Healthineers shows their commitment to advancing dental imaging for better patient care.

#DentalInnovation #DentalMRI #DentsplySirona #SiemensHealthineers #DentalTechnology #Dentistry #DentalImaging

Sources:

https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/dentsply-sirona/dentsply-sirona-collaborates-with-siemens-healthineers-on-dental-mri-for-improved-diagnostics/

https://www.siemens-healthineers.com/magnetic-resonance-imaging/high-v-mri/magnetom-free-max-dental

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