Dental MRI versus CBCT for Immediate Implant Planning: A Radiation-Free Approach with Comparable Spatial Accuracy

Abstract

Background: Three-dimensional imaging is essential for prosthetically driven implant placement. Although cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) is the gold standard for implant planning, concerns regarding ionizing radiation exposure have encouraged the exploration of non-ionizing alternatives. Recent advances in dental magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have improved visualization of hard and soft tissues.
Aim: To compare the accuracy of MRI and CBCT in guided immediate implant planning by evaluating three-dimensional implant positioning and deviations at the coronal, apical, and guide tube levels.
Materials and Methods: This comparative clinical study included three subjects requiring immediate implant placement. Nine implants were evaluated using a paired design. Implant planning was performed independently using MRI and CBCT datasets after co-registration with digitized cast data. Three-dimensional implant coordinates were analyzed, and linear and angular deviations between MRI- and CBCT-based plans were measured. Statistical analysis was performed using a paired sample t-test (p < 0.05).
Results: The mean coronal discrepancy between MRI and CBCT measurements was 0.05829 ± 0.03777 mm, while the mean apical discrepancy was 0.06903 ± 0.03969 mm. The mean angular discrepancy at the guide tube level was 0.00032 ± 0.00009°. Coronal deviations ranged from 0.01412 to 0.12098 mm, and apical deviations ranged from 0.01882 to 0.13717 mm. No statistically significant differences were observed between MRI and CBCT measurements (p > 0.05), indicating a high degree of agreement.
Conclusion: Dental MRI demonstrated spatial accuracy comparable to CBCT for guided immediate implant planning. Its radiation-free nature and superior soft-tissue visualization support its potential as an alternative imaging modality for implant planning...