An inventory of current available ultrasound devices for dental use

Objective: The first aim of the study was to make an inventory of the currently available ultrasound imaging devices on the market. The second aim was to identify portable ultrasound devices which could be used in general dental offices to image salivary glands, masticatory muscles and lymph nodes. Material and Methods: A list of ultrasound devices was collected from 11 international and American manufacturers using company websites and ultrasound retailer’s websites using the search engine Google®. Results: A total of 86 ultrasound machines from 11 different manufacturers were identified, of which only 14 devices are portable. Transducers are usually transferrable between devices of the same brand, and the non-portable machines have multiple transducer ports (three or four), while portable machines typically have only one or two ports. Portable machine weights range from 10 to 20 pounds, and often resemble large laptops, which are convenient to carry and take up minimal space in clinics. Conclusion: Some manufacturers provide portable and non-portable ultrasound devices. The first ones could be valuable in dental settings, as they can easily be moved around in the office.