# Ten Years of Micro-CT in Density and Maxillofacial Surgery: A Literature Overview
## 2 Evidence and Effectiveness by Literature Reviews  
In the last ten years, some literature reviews were published with the aim to assess, directly and indirectly, micro-CT traditional and not applications. Regarding dentistry and MFS fields, the main topics investigated were related to biomaterials, bone evaluation, specific aspects in dentistry, as the root canal preparation, the correlation with other techniques and, not excluding the less common applications of the technology as anthropological research.  
In dentistry, it resulted that micro-CT allows biomaterials assessment, a precise analysis of materials used and the main parameters, as surface area, surface structure, internal structure, porosity, and the nature of the connection among them and the living tissue [21]. It represents a highly accurate method for the assessment of the polymerization shrinkage in composite restorations [45]. Furthermore, it is also cited in a systematic review, as a measurement method for ceramic crowns evaluation, providing sections of the marginal area and recognition of the critical distances [46].  
Root canal filling materials, as endodontic treatments, have, as their objective, the appropriate sealing of the space caused by the root canal [47]. The analysis of the literature systematic reviews and overviews recorded by the database search evidenced an amount of studies focused on the application of micro-CT for the evaluation of the root canal and periapical lesions [48]. The morphology [49], the porosity of the endodontic materials [47], the assessment of different techniques of cavity preparation [21; 50] or of a specific shaper [51], the shaping effects of instruments and instrumentation comparing the root canal morphology before and after the preparation [52] and the effectiveness of different instrumentation procedures in removing feeling materials [53], are the main aspects investigated.  
It is considered as a methodology for the determination of mineral density [54; 55], complex structures of the bone, trabecular bone microstructure [56], not excluding teeth and in general mineralized tissues.  
The assessment of the density of minerals in enamel and dentin, the detection of demineralization in caries, the measurement of the depth of cavities in dentin, the evaluation of microleakage around fillings and fissure sealants [21], are some of the main applications. Compared with cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images, micro-CT is likely to have better diagnostic accuracy for carious lesions, tooth resorption, periodontal disease, and intra-operative imaging [57].  
The traditional use of micro-CT for the bone evaluation in dentistry and bone tissue regeneration applications is the main topic discussed by literature reviews [32]. The possibility to obtain information about bone tissue microarchitecture and composition is in relation to the importance to perform accurate analysis starting from the sample preparation, the quantitative assessment to the final 3D reconstruction, with special attention to the settings of the appropriate parameters during the acquisition step [58]. The design and the characterization of scaffolds benefit from the advantages offered by microtomographic analysis for the morphometric structural investigation [59]. The evaluation of bone remodeling is a main topic not only in dentistry but also in the MFS sector. Reviews on new regenerative strategies [60] and rodent jawbone micro-architecture [61] evaluated by micro-CT, were performed, underlining the need for a standardized methodology [61].  
Lastly, other applications discussed in MFS and dentistry reviews are related to anthropological and evolutionary research improving the assessing of dental tissues and elucidating the roles of genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors on phenotypic variations in craniofacial features [57].