Why dental x-rays are so important for your dog and cat
The majority of all dogs and cats have or have had dental and/or oral problems. By taking X-rays of the teeth, we get information that is necessary to give the patients excellent treatment.
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Swelling around the eye
We really learned the importance of dental X-rays when Tyra came in with swelling around her eye. The swelling disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared, but reappeared around the other eye.
She was examined and had seemingly fine teeth. It was only when we took an X-ray of her teeth that we saw her root problems. The roots of the canines on each side were crumbling and painful. See the picture before and after the extraction.
The visible part of a tooth, the crown, makes up less than 50 percent of the entire tooth. This means that when we see and examine a tooth, we only have half the information we need to be able to say whether it is healthy or not. With X-rays of all the teeth and their roots, we can see what is hidden under the gums and we can make a comprehensive assessment. A tooth that looks healthy on the "surface" can therefore be diseased and painful.
For X-rays of the teeth or jaw, relatively small radiation fields are used. The radiation is directed at the teeth and jaw and most of it is absorbed in the jaw. This radiation dose is low and scattered radiation down to the stomach area is negligible. Therefore, for example, pregnant women can safely have all types of X-rays at a dentist.
Some of the problems we can detect with X-rays:
- Root fractures.
- Tooth fractures.
- Root abscesses.
- Tooth resorptions.
- Bone tissue changes.
Tooth roots
When we discover a tooth that is diseased, X-rays are critical for treatment and further follow-up. For example, it is important to see what the roots look like in order to be able to extract them in the best possible way. X-rays during follow-up are necessary to be able to say something about the progress of the treatment. The X-ray machine is our and the patient's best friend during dental examinations and treatments!
