Magnetic Resonance Imaging Applications in Dental Anatomy

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has emerged as a transformative modality in dental anatomy by providing high-contrast, radiation-free visualisation of both hard and soft tissues within the oral and maxillofacial region. Unlike conventional radiography and cone-beam computed tomography, MRI offers superior differentiation of soft-tissue structures such as the periodontal ligament, pulp chamber and neurovascular bundles. Recent advances in coil design, sequence optimisation and motion-compensation techniques have enabled high-resolution multiplanar imaging of dental roots, alveolar bone and peri-implant tissues. These developments support early detection of inflammatory changes, precise mapping of nerve canals, quantitative assessment of osseointegration and improved planning for surgical and endodontic interventions. The global impact of dental MRI spans from non-invasive diagnosis and treatment monitoring in routine practice to specialised applications in complex oral surgery, promising to reduce patient exposure to ionising radiation while enhancing diagnostic accuracy.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have demonstrated the feasibility of orthopantomogram-style reconstructions using dedicated mandibular coils and five distinct MRI protocols. Ultrashort echo time (UTE) and VIBE-Dixon sequences achieved full diagnostic interpretability of osseous structures with minimal artefacts, while double-echo steady-state sequences provided exceptional detail of neural tissues. In vivo assessments revealed high reader agreement for image quality, artefact susceptibility and anatomical delineation, supporting the use of MR-OPGs for early pathology detection and post-operative follow-up. A high-resolution imaging protocol employing 3D STIR and T1 FFE sequences has been validated for direct visualisation of the inferior alveolar nerve in mandibular fractures, correlating nerve-muscle contrast-to-noise measurements with clinical impairment and matching computed tomography in depicting fracture dislocation. Seminal work on wireless intraoral coils has introduced inductively coupled sensors that enhance local sensitivity, achieving ex vivo resolutions comparable to cone-beam computed tomography and in vivo voxel sizes below 0.5 mm within clinically acceptable scan times, thus laying the groundwork for radiation-free soft-tissue imaging in everyday dental practice.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Applications in Dental Anatomy publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in magnetic resonance imaging applications in dental anatomy across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Short-tau Inversion Recovery (STIR): An MRI sequence that suppresses fat signal to highlight fluid-rich tissues and inflammatory changes in bone and soft tissue.

Ultrashort Echo Time (UTE): A rapid acquisition technique that captures signal from tissues with very short T2 relaxation times, such as cortical bone and ligaments.

Black Bone MRI: A T1-weighted technique optimised to render bone as a dark structure against a bright soft-tissue background, aiding bone–soft-tissue contrast.

Magnetic Resonance Orthopantomography (MR-OPG): A panoramic-style reconstruction of the mandibular arch generated from volumetric MRI data using specialised coils and sequences.

Periapical Lesion: Pathological changes around the tip of a tooth root, commonly manifesting as cysts or granulomas, which can be differentiated by MRI signal characteristics.

References

1. MR-orthopantomography in operative dentistry and oral and maxillofacial surgery: a proof of concept study. Scientific Reports (2023).
2. High resolution MRI for quantitative assessment of inferior alveolar nerve impairment in course of mandible fractures: an imaging feasibility study. Scientific Reports (2020).
3. Dental MRI using wireless intraoral coils. Scientific Reports (2016).
4. Magnetic resonance imaging in dental implant surgery: a systematic review. International Journal of Implant Dentistry (2024).
5. Differentiation of periapical granulomas and cysts by using dental MRI: a pilot study. International Journal of Oral Science (2018).
6. Periapical bone edema volume in 3D MRI is positively correlated with bone architecture changes. Insights into Imaging (2025).