Finding the right tests…
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Finding the right tests…
CBCT
A CBCT airway scan images the space behind your nose and throat where air passes on its way to your lungs, covering the nasal cavity down through the pharynx. Doctors order it when there is a specific reason to look at this airway, such as planning orthodontic or jaw surgery in someone with a narrow airway, or checking nasal or throat anatomy when an endoscopy isn't possible or hasn't given a clear answer. It captures a single moment rather than airflow over time, so it is one piece of a larger evaluation, not a stand-alone test for sleep-related breathing problems. A sleep study measures breathing directly during sleep, which this scan does not attempt to replace.
The scan captures the airway space from the nasal cavity through the throat as it looks at that one moment, along with nearby bone and soft tissue landmarks such as the tonsils and tongue base. Your doctor uses it to judge airway width and shape, often alongside surgical or orthodontic planning, not to diagnose a sleep breathing disorder on its own.
Air travels through a narrow, curving space behind your nose and mouth before it reaches your windpipe. This scan images that space along with the bone and soft tissue around it, in one three-dimensional pass.
A doctor might request this scan while planning jaw or orthodontic surgery in someone whose airway is a known concern, to check nasal or adenoid anatomy when a direct look inside isn't possible, or to compare airway size before and after a treatment already underway. It is a planning and assessment tool used alongside other findings, not a first-line test on its own.
- It captures the airway at rest, in one position, not while you are asleep or breathing normally - It cannot diagnose sleep apnea by itself; that needs a sleep study that monitors breathing over time - Sitting or standing during the scan is a different posture from lying down asleep, which can affect how open the airway appears
Because of these limits, this scan is typically ordered for a specific surgical or orthodontic question, not as a routine screening step. Ask your doctor what question this scan is meant to answer in your case.
No. It shows the airway's shape and size at one moment while you are awake, not while you sleep. Diagnosing sleep apnea needs a sleep study that monitors your breathing over time.
Dentists and orthodontists sometimes need airway measurements when planning jaw surgery or orthodontic treatment, since airway space can be affected by the same anatomy they are treating.
No. You sit or stand still while the scanner rotates around your head and neck area. It does not involve any injection or contact with the airway itself.
You will be asked to stay still and breathe normally or hold a specific position briefly. The technologist will explain exactly what's needed before the scan starts.
This page is general information about the test, not medical advice. Your own report's reference ranges apply — please discuss your results with your doctor.
This scan is centred on the airway passage itself, from the nose through the throat, rather than the sinus cavities specifically. Your doctor decides which one answers their question based on what they are checking.
Not always. Your doctor may still want it if surgery or orthodontic treatment is being planned and airway anatomy needs to be measured directly, separate from what a sleep study shows.
It can be used in children when there's a specific surgical or orthodontic reason, such as evaluating adenoid size. Ask your doctor whether it applies to your child's situation.