What is the experience of machines for panoramic and lateral cephalometric radiography that have cone-beam technology incorporated? Is image quality for any of panoramic/ceph or CBCT images inferior compared with images from machines with only one of the functions?
Christina.
In theory, I don't think that having 2 or 3 modalities in 1 should hamper the image quality of any of those modalities.
For example, you have the Veraviewepocs 2D and 3D devices from J. Morita Corp. The panoramic (and optional ceph) mode are the same for these two devices, the only differences is that the 3D allows for the detector to be switched to enable 3D imaging.
It all depends on how much effort the manufacturer has done to optimize all modalities that are incorporated in their device. If they have focused on CBCT quality, the pano or ceph might be a bit sloppy.