Dr. Ahmed Ballo
BDS, EDA, DABOI, MSc, Cert. Prostho, PhD
Board-Certified Specialist in Prosthodontics in Canada and Diplomate of the American Board of Oral Implantology, with extensive experience in prosthodontics and implant dentistry.
View ProfileDigital technology earns its place when it changes a decision. At Apple Dental Specialists, CBCT imaging and digital records are used to evaluate anatomy that cannot be judged from a flat radiograph, to plan implant position around the final restoration, and to keep the surgical and restorative sides of a case working from the same information. CBCT scans start at $100, including for patients referred by their own dentist.
CBCT scans from $100, including for patients referred by their own dentist
Imaging taken to answer a specific question, not as a matter of routine
Surgical and restorative planning worked from the same digital records
What a CBCT scan actually shows
An ordinary dental radiograph is a flat image: everything between the source and the sensor is collapsed into one plane, so structures overlap and depth has to be inferred. A CBCT scan produces a three-dimensional volume that can be viewed as slices in any direction. In practice that means the width of bone as well as its height, the true path of the inferior alveolar nerve in the lower jaw, the floor of the sinus and its relationship to upper roots, the shape of a bone defect, the presence of an extra root canal, and the actual position of an impacted tooth rather than an estimate of it. These are the questions where a flat image genuinely cannot give a reliable answer.
When a scan is worth taking — and when it is not
A CBCT scan delivers a higher radiation dose than a standard dental radiograph, though considerably less than a medical CT. That makes it a clinical decision rather than a default, and the principle is straightforward: a scan should be taken when the answer it gives will change what is done. Planning an implant, assessing a lower wisdom tooth whose roots appear to involve the nerve, evaluating bone before grafting or a sinus lift, investigating a tooth that has not settled after root canal treatment, or locating an impacted tooth are all cases where it will. A routine check-up is not. If a scan is recommended to you anywhere, it is entirely reasonable to ask what question it is being taken to answer.
Digital records, and what they replace
Digital records capture the state of your mouth in a form that can be measured, compared over time and shared without being physically posted. For the patient the immediate difference is usually comfort — a scan in place of an impression tray for suitable cases — but the more useful difference is what happens afterwards. Records can be superimposed to show what has changed between appointments, sent to a laboratory the same day rather than couriered, and retained exactly as captured rather than as a model that can distort or be damaged in storage. They also make it possible to show you what is being discussed on a screen, which tends to be a great deal more persuasive than a description.
Planning surgery and the restoration from one dataset
The most valuable use of this technology is not any single scan but the combination. Where a CBCT volume showing the bone is brought together with a digital record of the teeth and the planned final restoration, implant position can be decided against all three at once — where the bone is, where the tooth needs to emerge, and what the finished result has to look like. That is how a plan avoids the outcome where an implant is placed correctly with respect to bone and incorrectly with respect to the restoration. It is also why having the surgical and prosthodontic sides of a case under one roof matters: the same records serve both, without translation between practices.
Scans for patients referred by another dentist
We take CBCT scans for patients referred by their own dentist, whether or not any treatment is to be carried out here. That covers implant planning for a dentist placing the implant themselves, assessment of a wisdom tooth before a referral decision is made, endodontic investigation, and evaluation of an impacted or unerupted tooth. The scan and the report go back to the referring practice, the patient returns to their own dentist, and nothing about the referral implies a transfer of care. Referring practices can contact us directly to arrange it, and patients are welcome to ask their dentist to send them.
What imaging is used for
Implant planning and implant position, assessment of bone volume before grafting or sinus augmentation, the relationship between lower roots and the nerve canal, the position of impacted teeth, the shape of periodontal bone defects, investigation of teeth that have not settled after root canal treatment, and full-arch planning.
- CBCT imaging
- Implant planning
- Nerve proximity
- Sinus assessment
- Impacted teeth
- Bone defect mapping
- Digital records
- Referred-patient scans
Been told you need a CBCT scan?
Scans start at $100, and we take them for referred patients as well as our own. Ask your dentist to send you, or contact us directly to arrange it.
CBCT Pricing
All prices in CAD · starting prices
CBCT scan
from
$100
Referrals
Scan for a patient referred by their own dentist
from
$100
All prices are starting prices and may vary depending on case complexity, treatment requirements, materials and other clinical factors. Final treatment costs are confirmed following consultation and treatment planning. Prices effective September 2026.
What affects the figure
CBCT scans start at $100. Where a scan forms part of planning for treatment carried out here, it appears as a line within that treatment plan rather than as a separate charge to arrange.
The size of the volume captured
A scan limited to a small area and a scan covering a full arch or both jaws differ in what they capture and in dose. The smallest volume that answers the clinical question is the one taken.
Whether it forms part of a treatment plan
Where a scan is taken as part of planning treatment with us, it is included as a line in the written treatment plan so you see it alongside everything else.
Referred patients
Scans are taken for patients referred by their own dentist at the same starting figure, with the scan and report returned to the referring practice.
Insurance and payment options
Diagnostic imaging is covered by many plans, often under a separate category from treatment. We can provide the procedure code so you can confirm your own coverage, and patient financing is available for treatment.
Your treating team
Dr. Ali Mehdi
Oral Surgery and Implants
Dr. Ali Mehdi brings over 15 years of experience in oral and implant surgery, with a focus on advanced implant dentistry and complex full-mouth rehabilitation. From routine oral surgery to advanced bone grafting and full-arch implant treatment, his approach combines surgical experience, digital technology, and individualized care.
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Dr. Hamidreza Shirbani
General Dentist │ MSc in Periodontics
General dentist with a Master of Science in Periodontics, prior Assistant Professor experience and clinical interests in periodontal treatment, implants and family dentistry.
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Dr. Viprat Joshi
Dentist
Dentist with a Master's degree completed in Australia, focused on ethical, personalized care and helping patients make informed decisions about treatment.
View ProfileFrequently asked questions
CBCT scans start at $100, including for patients referred by their own dentist. Where a scan forms part of planning treatment carried out here, it appears as a line within the written treatment plan.
Yes. We take scans for patients referred by their own dentist, whether or not treatment is to be carried out here. The scan and report go back to the referring practice and the patient returns to their own dentist.
A standard radiograph is a flat image in which structures overlap and depth has to be inferred. A CBCT scan produces a three-dimensional volume that can be viewed as slices in any direction, showing bone width, nerve position, sinus anatomy and the true position of impacted teeth.
A CBCT scan involves a higher dose than a standard dental radiograph and considerably less than a medical CT. It is a clinical decision rather than a routine step: a scan is taken when the answer will change what is done, and the smallest volume that answers the question is the one used.
Typically for implant planning, assessing a lower wisdom tooth whose roots appear to involve the nerve, evaluating bone before grafting or a sinus lift, investigating a tooth that has not settled after root canal treatment, or locating an impacted tooth. A routine check-up does not require one.
The scan itself takes well under a minute. You stand or sit still while the machine rotates around your head, and there is nothing placed inside your mouth.
Yes. Records can be provided to you or sent directly to another practice or specialist, which avoids a scan being repeated unnecessarily.
For suitable cases, yes, and most patients find a digital scan more comfortable than an impression tray. Some situations still call for a conventional impression, and which applies is a clinical judgement.
Referring practices can contact us directly to arrange an appointment, and patients are welcome to ask their dentist to send them. The scan and report are returned to the referring practice and care continues where it started.
Related services
Dental Implants
Specialist-led implant treatment for single teeth, multiple teeth and full-arch cases.
Learn more
Oral Surgery
Surgical assessment and treatment for extractions, wisdom teeth and pre-implant surgery.
Learn more
Prosthodontics
Crowns, veneers, implant restorations and full-arch work, planned alongside the surgery.
Learn more
All-on-X / Teeth in a Day
Fixed full-arch implant treatment from $27,500 per arch, all-inclusive, planned around your own anatomy.
Learn more
Periodontal Care
Gum disease assessment and treatment, from charting through to surgical options where needed.
Learn more
Visit us in White Rock
Apple Dental Specialists1115 Stayte Rd
White Rock, BC V4B 4Y9
We take CBCT scans for patients from White Rock, South Surrey, Surrey, Langley, Delta and across the Fraser Valley, including patients referred by their own dentist for imaging alone. Our team also speaks Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu.
Book a scan, or send us a patient
CBCT scans start at $100 at Apple Dental Specialists in White Rock, for our own patients and for those referred by their dentist. Contact us to arrange one, and the scan and report go back to the referring practice.