Patients at Smiles on Bristol Dentistry will undergo simple x-rays that the Santa Ana dentists Dr. Kalantari and Dr. Arcila will then use to diagnose a number of different dental conditions.  While most people only experience dental x-rays, there are a number of other oral radiology procedures called Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology.

Besides traditional x-rays, Oral and Maxillofacial radiology also covers cone-beam and multislice CT scans, MRI, PET, ultrasound, cephalometric imaging, and intra-oral imaging.  Cone-beam CTs use CT technology in a spiral around the patient to enhance resolution.  Multislice CT has multiple scanners so that more information can be collected at once.  CT scans use x-ray technology to create cross-section images of bodily structures rather than flat pictures.  MRIs are used to produce highly detailed images of nearly any part of the body.  PET scans are used to track different organ and body functions such as blood flow and oxygen use.  Ultrasounds use sound waves humans cannot hear to generate images of different parts of the body by measuring the distance the waves travel before bouncing back. Cephalometric imaging measures the sizes and placement of teeth, jaws, and the skull to assist dentists in coming up with treatment plans.  Intra-oral imaging uses cameras and x-ray devices to get a picture of the internal structures of the mouth without being blocked by external bones such as the teeth.