Minimally invasive techniques move treatment of salivary calculi to an outpatient or a day case setting. They are reliable ways of both retrieving stones and eliminating symptoms, and mean that the gland rarely has to be removed.

This Position Statement represents a consensus of an expert committee convened by the European Society of Endodontology (ESE) on the use of Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) in Endodontics. This paper is an update of the ESE CBCT position statement which was published in 2014 (European Society of Endodontology 2014, https://doi.org/10.1111/iej.12267). Recent review articles provide more detailed background information and the basis for this position statement. It is intended that this position statement will be updated at least every 4‐5 years to keep abreast of relevant research. The aim of this paper is to provide clinicians with evidence‐based guidance on the application of CBCT in Endodontics. Since 2014, there has been an increase in the number of clinical studies confirming the positive impact of CBCT on treatment planning, decision‐making when reviewing cases and reduced practitioner stress levels.

A minimally invasive approach to the management of salivary calculi is to be encouraged. All three techniques described have low morbidity and afford the possibility of retaining a functional gland.

In almost half of the surveyed cases an anterior loop was present. Even though in 95% of the study cases the loop was <3 mm, a 100% safety margin in the placement of anterior mandibular implants, in the absence of a CBCT scan, would only be achieved with a distance of 6 mm between the anterior border of the mental foramen and the most distal interforaminal implant fixture.

The aims of this study were to assess the effectiveness of calcium silicate cement (Biodentine) versus glass ionomer cement (GIC; control group) as indirect pulp capping materials in patients with reversible pulpitis and to compare the effectiveness of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) versus periapical (PA) radiographs in detecting PA changes at baseline (T0) and at 12 mo (T12) postoperatively. Seventy-two restorations (36 Biodentine, 36 Fuji IX) were placed randomly in 53 patients. CBCT/PA radiographs were taken at T0 and T12. Two calibrated examiners assessed the presence/absence and increase/decrease in the size of existing PA radiolucencies under standardized conditions. The Kappa coefficient evaluated statistically the effectiveness of CBCT versus PA radiographs in detecting PA changes. Chi-square/Mann-Whitney tests were used to evaluate the association between PA changes in CBCT with various clinical measures. Significance was predetermined at α = 0.05. Clinical success rates for Biodentine and Fuji IX GIC were 83.3%. CBCT was significantly more effective in detecting PA radiolucencies compared with radiographs (P = 0.0069). Of the teeth, 65.4% and 90.4% were deemed healthy using CBCT and PA radiographs, respectively, at T12. Healing/healed rates were 17.3%/0%, while new/progressed radiolucency were 30.8%/9.6% with CBCT/PA radiographs, respectively. Seventy-one percent of healed lesions had received Biodentine; 88% of new/progressed lesions received Fuji IX GIC. Teeth presenting with an initial CBCT PA lesion had a failure rate of 63%, whereas teeth with no initial lesion had a failure rate of 16%. Although no statistically significant difference was detected in the clinical efficacy of Biodentine/Fuji IX when used as indirect pulp capping materials in patients with reversible pulpitis, CBCT showed a significant difference in that most healed CBCT lesions had received Biodentine while most that did not heal received Fuji IX. Longer-term follow-up is needed to establish their effect on the healing dynamics of PA tissues (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02201641).

Under the conditions of this ex vivo study, periapical radiographs and CBCT were not accurate in detecting the presence and absence of simulated VRF. The imaging artefacts caused by the gutta-percha root filling within the root canal most probably resulted in the overestimation of VRF with CBCT and also the overall inaccuracy of this system.

Cone beam CT (CBCT) is a relatively new imaging modality, which is now widely available to dentists for examining hard tissues in the dental and maxillofacial regions. CBCT gives a three-dimensional depiction of anatomy and pathology, which is similar to medical CT and uses doses generally higher than those used in conventional dental imaging. The European Academy of DentoMaxilloFacial Radiology recognizes that dentists receive training in two-dimensional dental imaging as undergraduates, but most of them have received little or no training in the application and interpretation of cross-sectional three-dimensional imaging. This document identifies the roles of dentists involved in the use of CBCT, examines the training requirements for the justification, acquisition and interpretation of CBCT imaging and makes recommendations for further training of dentists in Europe who intend to be involved in any aspect of CBCT imaging. Two levels of training are recognized. Level 1 is intended to train dentists who prescribe CBCT imaging, such that they may request appropriately and understand the resultant reported images. Level 2 is intended to train to a more advanced level and covers the understanding and skills needed to justify, carry out and interpret a CBCT examination. These recommendations are not intended to create specialists in CBCT imaging but to offer guidance on the training of all dentists to enable the safe use of CBCT in the dentoalveolar region.

Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy provides a useful option for the management of salivary calculi, particularly for stones less than 7 mm in diameter.