Role of CBCT in diagnosing periodontal disease: a literature review
Abstract
Objectives: This review article aims to provide scientific information regarding the role of CBCT in diagnosing periodontal disease.Review: This literature review was conducted using an electronic database search method via Google Scholar. The keywords used were 'CBCT related to periodontal disease’. The inclusion criteria included journal articles published between 2019 and 2024. Articles were selected and filtered based on publication year, relevance to the topic, and research quality, resulting in 10 journal articles used in this review. Periodontal disease is described as an inflammatory condition affecting both soft and hard periodontal structures. It typically began as gingivitis, a mild and self-limiting inflammation. Intraoral radiographs, such as periapical and bitewing images, were the most commonly used tools for periodontal assessment, offering clear visualization of teeth, alveolar bone, and periodontal ligament space with minimal radiation exposure. However, intraoral radiographs have limitations, including difficulty visualizing bucco-lingual bone loss and a tendency to underestimate early-stage alveolar bone resorption. CBCT revealed bony abnormalities that might have been overlooked in routine clinical and radiographic assessments. Nevertheless, evidence supporting its ability to improve short- and long-term periodontal treatment outcomes remained limited.
Conclusion: CBCT played a crucial role in diagnosing periodontal disease by providing superior three-dimensional imaging compared to conventional radiographs. However, its limitations included potential overestimation or underestimation of bone thickness due to voxel size, artifacts, and soft tissue overlap. Additionally, its higher radiation dose required careful clinical consideration.
References
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9. Agung AA, Anggreni NK. The effectivity of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) in dentigerous cyst management: a literature review. J Radio Dentomaks Indo. 2022;6(2):73-80. doi: https://doi.org/10.32793/jrdi.v6i2.888
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15. Lee S, Lee K, Kim H, An J, Han J, Lee T, Jeong H, Cho Y. Comparison of dental radiography and computed tomography: measurement of dentoalveolar structures in healthy, small-sized dogs and cats. Journal of veterinary science. 2020;21(5):75
16. Kim DM, Bassir SH. When is cone-beam computed tomography imaging appropriate for diagnostic inquiry in the management of inflammatory periodontitis? an american academy of periodontology best evidence review. J Periodontol. 2017;88(10):978–998. doi: 10.1902/jop.2017.1710001
17. Walter C, Schmidt JC, Rinne CA, Mendes S, Dula K, Sculean A. Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) for diagnosis and treatment planning in periodontology: systematic review update. Clin Oral Investig. 2020;24(9):2943-2958. doi: 10.1007/s00784-020-03326-0
18. Yang J, Li X, Duan D, Bai L, Zhao L, Xu Y. Cone-beam computed tomography performance in measuring periodontal bone loss. J Oral Sci. 2019;61(1):61-66. doi: 10.2334/josnusd.17-0332
19. Syahraini SI, Iskandar HHB, Kiswanjaya B, Tadjoedin FM. Correlation of clinical and radiographic severity of periodontitis with furcation involvement: evaluation of periapical radiographs and cone-beam computed tomography. J Radio Dentomaks Indo. 2023;7(2):47-52. doi: https://doi.org/10.32793/jrdi.v7i2.1070
20. Zhang X, Li Y, Ge Z, Zhao H, Miao L, Pan Y. The dimension and morphology of alveolar bone at maxillary anterior teeth in periodontitis: a retrospective analysis using CBCT. Int J Oral Sci. 2020;12(1):4. doi: 10.1038/s41368-019-0071-0
21. Mashyakhy M, Alkahtany M. Prevalence of apical periodontitis between root canal-treated and non-treated teeth and between genders: A cross-sectional CBCT study. Niger J Clin Pract. 2021;24(11):1656-1661. doi: 10.4103/njcp.njcp_627_20
22. Schulze R, Couso-Queiruga E, Katsaros C. Accuracy of cone-beam computed tomography in imaging the components of the periodontal phenotype. Periodontol 2000. 2024;36(1):64-72. doi: 10.1111/prd.12556
2. Mark R, Mohan R, Gundappa M, Balaji MDS, Vijay VK, Umayal M. Comparative Evaluation of Periodontal Osseous Defects Using Direct Digital Radiography and Cone-Beam Computed Tomography. J Pharm Bioallied Sci. 2021;13(Suppl 1):306-311. doi: 10.4103/jpbs.JPBS_804_20
3. Eshraghi VT, Malloy KA, Tahmasbi M. Role of cone-beam computed tomography in the management of periodontal disease. Dent J. 2019;7(2):57. doi: 10.3390/dj7020057
4. Ruetters M, Hagenfeld D, ElSayed N, Zimmermann N, Gehrig H, Kim TS. Ex vivo comparison of CBCT and digital periapical radiographs for the quantitative assessment of periodontal defects. Clin Oral Invest. 2020;24(1):377-84. doi: 10.1007/s00784-019-02933-w
5. Nocini R, Lippi G, Mattiuzzi C. Periodontal disease: the portrait of an epidemic. J Pub Health Emergency. 2020;25(4):10. doi: 10.21037/jphe.2020.0
6. Mann J, Bernstein Y, Findler M. Periodontal disease and its prevention, by traditional and new avenues. Exp Ther Med. 2020;19(2):1504-1506. doi: 10.3892/etm.2019.8381
7. Chapple ILC et al. Periodontal health and gingival diseases and conditions on an intact and a reduced periodontium: consensus report of workgroup 1 of the 2017 world workshop on the classification of periodontal and peri-implant diseases and conditions. J Periodontol. 2018;89(1):74-84. doi: 10.1002/JPER.17-0719
8. Jacobs R, Fontenele RC, Lahoud P, Shujaat S, Bornstein MM. Radiographic diagnosis of periodontal diseases–Current evidence versus innovations. Periodontol 2000. 2024;95(1):51-69. doi: 10.1111/prd.12580
9. Agung AA, Anggreni NK. The effectivity of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) in dentigerous cyst management: a literature review. J Radio Dentomaks Indo. 2022;6(2):73-80. doi: https://doi.org/10.32793/jrdi.v6i2.888
10. Kumar M, Shanavas M, Sidappa A, Kiran M. Cone beam computed tomography - know its secrets. J Int Oral Health. 2015;7(2):64-8
11. Venkatesh E, Elluru SV. Cone beam computed tomography: basics and applications in dentistry. J Istanb Univ Fac Dent. 2017;51(3 Suppl 1):102-121. doi: 10.17096/jiufd.00289
12. McAllister BS, Eshraghi VT. Commentary: Cone-Beam Computed Tomography: An Essential Technology for Management of Complex Periodontal and Implant Cases. J Periodontol. 2017;88(10):937-938. doi: 10.1902/jop.2017.1710001
13. Kurniati N, Azhari. Evaluasi diagnostik lesi-endo perio yang menetap setelah perawatan endodontik menggunakan radiografi periapikal dan cbct. JITEKGI. 2019;15(1):6-11
14. Dehghani M, Moeini M, Bardal R. Comparing the accuracy of cone beam computed tomography, digital intraoral radiography and conventional intraoral radiography in the measurement of periodontal bone defects. J Res Dent Maxillofac Sci. 2016;1(1):34-39
15. Lee S, Lee K, Kim H, An J, Han J, Lee T, Jeong H, Cho Y. Comparison of dental radiography and computed tomography: measurement of dentoalveolar structures in healthy, small-sized dogs and cats. Journal of veterinary science. 2020;21(5):75
16. Kim DM, Bassir SH. When is cone-beam computed tomography imaging appropriate for diagnostic inquiry in the management of inflammatory periodontitis? an american academy of periodontology best evidence review. J Periodontol. 2017;88(10):978–998. doi: 10.1902/jop.2017.1710001
17. Walter C, Schmidt JC, Rinne CA, Mendes S, Dula K, Sculean A. Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) for diagnosis and treatment planning in periodontology: systematic review update. Clin Oral Investig. 2020;24(9):2943-2958. doi: 10.1007/s00784-020-03326-0
18. Yang J, Li X, Duan D, Bai L, Zhao L, Xu Y. Cone-beam computed tomography performance in measuring periodontal bone loss. J Oral Sci. 2019;61(1):61-66. doi: 10.2334/josnusd.17-0332
19. Syahraini SI, Iskandar HHB, Kiswanjaya B, Tadjoedin FM. Correlation of clinical and radiographic severity of periodontitis with furcation involvement: evaluation of periapical radiographs and cone-beam computed tomography. J Radio Dentomaks Indo. 2023;7(2):47-52. doi: https://doi.org/10.32793/jrdi.v7i2.1070
20. Zhang X, Li Y, Ge Z, Zhao H, Miao L, Pan Y. The dimension and morphology of alveolar bone at maxillary anterior teeth in periodontitis: a retrospective analysis using CBCT. Int J Oral Sci. 2020;12(1):4. doi: 10.1038/s41368-019-0071-0
21. Mashyakhy M, Alkahtany M. Prevalence of apical periodontitis between root canal-treated and non-treated teeth and between genders: A cross-sectional CBCT study. Niger J Clin Pract. 2021;24(11):1656-1661. doi: 10.4103/njcp.njcp_627_20
22. Schulze R, Couso-Queiruga E, Katsaros C. Accuracy of cone-beam computed tomography in imaging the components of the periodontal phenotype. Periodontol 2000. 2024;36(1):64-72. doi: 10.1111/prd.12556
Published
2025-12-31
How to Cite
ARIFIN, Sariyani Pancasari Audry; BEATRICE, Christina; MEIDIANTI, Dwi Harini Endah.
Role of CBCT in diagnosing periodontal disease: a literature review.
Jurnal Radiologi Dentomaksilofasial Indonesia (JRDI), [S.l.], v. 9, n. 3, p. 193-201, dec. 2025.
ISSN 2686-1321.
Available at: <http://jurnal.pdgi.or.id/index.php/jrdi/article/view/1366>. Date accessed: 29 jan. 2026.
doi: https://doi.org/10.32793/jrdi.v9i3.1366.
Section
Review Article
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