As dental offices grow, restructure, and acquire new offices, ownership is commonly in a situation where they need to move assets and equipment from one location to another. For many dental offices, the most valuable piece of equipment is their dental cone beam ct system
As a result, many dental offices are interested in physically moving that dental cone beam system to a different location from where it was installed. However, moving this kind of equipment can be tricky not only because it is a valuable asset, but also because there are a number of issues that can cause problems with the equipment after move. Ironically, most of these items are very easily avoided if the owner or the mover is aware of them.
Recalibration or realignment may be needed
All dental cone beam systems have a rotating chassis that has a sensor on one side and an x-ray source on the other. In order to take high resolution images, these two pieces have to be precisely aligned with each other and with the patient positioning mechanism of the machine.
If the rotational assembly is detached from the main column of the unit, this will typically offset the alignment of the unit such that the unit will need to be realigned in the new location. Moving the unit without any disassembly may still require recalibration or realignment in the new location as abnormal vibration or movement of the components may also cause the unit to fall out of alignment.
Internal components may break
A dental cone beam machine is not typically designed to be transported in its fully-assembled configuration. While a good partner performing the move will support and protect the equipment to avoid obvious damage, it’s worth noting that sometimes damage to internal components can be done during the move that may not be outwardly obvious.
One common area of vulnerability for many units is inside the c-arm assembly. For example, many dental cone beams have highly sensitive gears, motors, sensors, and potentiometers that are not designed to withstand undue force or stress that may come from vibration or fast movement that may come with rough transport. Furthermore, failure of these mechanisms may not be obvious when the unit is installed in the new location.
To reduce this risk, most experienced technicians will fully bind the unit up (e.g. with shrink wrap) before it is moved. However, in addition, be aware of how the assembly may move when it rests in different positions. For instance, even though the unit is fully shrink wrapped in its upright position, there may be unexpected degrees of freedom when the unit is laid on it’s back. Gently push and pull on different areas of the c-arm when it is in its “transport position” to assure there’s no ability to shift or move during transport.
Changes to approved shielding study
If your office is located in a state (or locality) that requires shielding plan approval, then moving the unit to a new location (or even a different position in an existing office) may mean that the original shielding study is no longer valid.
Some common characteristics that shielding studies take into account are not only the obvious things like the material of the walls and the layout of the room, but also what activity is occurring adjacent to the unit – not only on the other side of the wall, but also above and below.
If the assumptions of the initial review are not the same, it’s possible that an inspector will identify that the shielding study is no longer valid.
Conclusion
If you are planning a move for your dental cone beam, simply planning for these items will often reduce the probability of any surprises when you look to go live in your new location
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