Abstract
Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) is a consolidated imaging technology allowing non-destructive three-dimensional (3D) qualitative and quantitative analysis by the observation of microstructures with high resolution. This paper aims at delivering a structured overview of literature about studies performed using micro-CT in dentistry and maxillofacial surgery (MFS) by analyzing the entire set of articles to portray the state of the art of the last ten years of scientific publications on the topic. It draws the scenario focusing on biomaterials, in vitro and in/ex vivo applications, bone structure analysis, and tissue engineering. It confirms the relevance of the micro-CT analysis for traditional research applications and mainly in dentistry with respect to MFS. Possible developments are discussed in relation to the use of the micro-CT combined with other, traditional, and not, techniques and technologies, as the elaboration of 3D models based on micro-CT images and emerging numerical methods. Micro-CT results contribute effectively with whose ones obtained from other techniques in an integrated multimethod approach and for multidisciplinary studies, opening new possibilities and potential opportunities for the next decades of developments.
Highlights
The first X-ray microtomography or micro-computed tomography system was conceived in the early 1980’s, and in 1994, the first commercially available bone micro-CT scanner was presented [1,2].Nowadays, micro-CT systems are present as lab instrumentations at main laboratories and companies to perform different types of investigations and for various applications, including educational purposes [3,4]
It resulted that micro-CT allows biomaterials assessment, a precise analysis of materials used and the main parameters, as surface area, surface structure, internal structure, porosity, and the nature of the connection among them and the living tissue [21]
Other applications discussed in maxillofacial surgery (MFS) and dentistry reviews are related to anthropological and evolutionary research improving the assessing of dental tissues and elucidating the roles of genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors on phenotypic variations in craniofacial features [57]
Summary
The first X-ray microtomography or micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) system was conceived in the early 1980’s, and in 1994, the first commercially available bone micro-CT scanner was presented [1,2]. Micro-CT represents one of the main methods to perform non-destructive analysis and one of the most common microscopy methods [5] where the very fine scale internal structure of objects is imaged, providing high resolution volumetric data at a micron level. It allows for the investigation of microstructures, the accuracy detection of the geometries [6,7,8,9], eventually defects and difference in density and morphology.
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