The Magic of GALILEOS

GALILEOS is the most magical piece of dental technology I have seen since the introduction of CEREC*. It has the capability of transforming the every day dental care we deliver to patients. I believe GALILEOS 3D Cone Beam Imaging will become the new standard of care. GALILEOS has so amazed me that the closest thing that comes to mind is magic. If you saw the movie The Prestige, you might remember that magic is presented in three parts: the pledge, the turn and the prestige.

In the pledge, the magician shows us something ordinary and lets us see it as real. Look at GALILEOS: the equipment looks familiar. It is based on the dependable ORTHOPHOS XG panorex family of products.

It looks a little more muscular with its large sensor array…

…but overall the clean modern design is striking.

The function and the controls of GALILEOS are so similar to a panorex that anyone who can take a panoramic image can take a GALILEOS cone beam image. More importantly, anyone who can read a panorex will be familiar with the look of the GALILEOS work space and feel comfortable reading the images. The main view in the work space incorporates an improved traditional panoramic image.

What could be easier?

The second part of a magic act is the turn. Taking something ordinary and familiar and making it do something extraordinary. Presto, 3D images!

Using the slicing window on our familiar panorex we can highlight specific areas and scroll through the 3D anatomy.

Cephalometric images are better than were ever possible with traditional 2D imaging. Can you imagine being able to straighten and improve the patient positioning after the scan? Now you can. Delving further into the software, we can open up radiology and see axial, sagittal and coronal slices.

Most amazing of all, we can virtually place an implant in the jaw from a library of manufacturers

and see axial, sagittal and coronal slices all while keeping track of where we are with the 3D overview.

Then, order a stent to allow for precise, easy, predictable placement. This incredible machine software combination lends an unprecedented degree of precision and ease to implant placement. Implant placement is now accessible to the everyday practice.

The prestige, the third part of the magic act, is where we bring back reality. The lady hops off the table, the doves fly away. With GALILEOS, this is where the new possibilities in diagnosis, periodontics,

endodontics,

orthodontics

and oral surgery

impact our practice. 3D cone beam images are now a billable procedure code that more insurance companies are covering all the time. You also have the option of billing multiple 2D images such as panoramic, cephalometric, or TMJ images rather than the complete 3D image. A combination of new procedures, and the enhancement of existing ones, is what makes this essential technology for the progressive practice. GALILEOS transforming every day practice now and into the future.

This is the first in a series of articles on GALILEOS. At present, I have just made the decision and purchased a GALILEOS 3D Cone Beam Imaging unit for my practice. Future reports will include practical applications including diagnosis, implant placement, and studies on how GALILEOS affects the bottom line of a General Dental Practice.

For more information contact William R. Davidson, D.M.D. at wrdds@aol.com or Sirona Dental Systems.