Dental X-rays and why we should take them
It’s common for Veterinary Technicians and assistants to dread taking dental x-rays. With the variety of mouth sizes and anatomy that we deal with, each dental radiograph has its individual nuances, and it can be extraordinarily difficult to get good, diagnostic radiographs on the first try. Worst of all – you must present your hard won, wonky, barely diagnostic image to the veterinarian. No one likes doing things they’re not good at, so this leads to questions like “do we really have to take these x-rays?” or “can I just radiograph the one bad tooth?”.
As a pet owner, dental x-rays also don’t sound very appealing. To me it just sounds like more time under anesthesia for my pet and a bigger bill for me.
So why do we need to take dental radiographs? I’m thrilled you asked. Let me tell you.
Dogs have delicate jaw bones and lots of bacteria in their mouths. If they have tartar that extends down their roots, that predisposes them to dental abscesses and loosening of their teeth, not to mention pain. While all this happens – you may be none the wiser and just think your dog has bad breath and is always drooling. He can’t tell you that the left side of his mouth hurts, he may just prefer wet food. He also can’t tell you that his upper premolars are bothering him. He might just not like to play with toys anymore.
Cats also get dental disease, but it is a bit different than what dogs get. Cats often suffer from ‘resorptive tooth disease’ – a condition where the enamel of the tooth is destroyed by the cat’s own cells, and the dentin and even the tooths nerve can be exposed. The teeth can and often do break off – all of which is usually very painful. Cats are even more elusive than dogs when it comes to oral pain. They may be more sleepy than usual or not finish all their food at once, or sometimes they show us no outward signs at all!
Your veterinarian can only see what’s going on above the gumline. This can be deceiving when the crown of the tooth (the visible part) looks “not so bad” with just a bit of tarter. Your cats’ gums may look irritated but there might be no sign of jagged, broken teeth or resorptive lesions. What really matters however and is the deciding factor in whether a tooth should be extracted or not – is how it looks below the gumline.
This is where dental radiographs come in. They must be taken to assess the health of the tooth’s root, to check for any bone recession, fractures, resorption, and signs of infection. For cats in particular, dental radiographs are the only way to determine if they suffer from resorptive tooth disease.
Dental radiographs take extra time and skill, and our goal is always to have your animals be under anesthesia for as brief a period as possible. Therefore, we made it a priority to get some extra training for our staff on dental x-ray techniques. After 4 hours of hands-on training with a dental specialist technician, our team was feeling pretty good about taking radiographs, and the goal is to have all imaging and dental charting done in 20 minutes or less.
Dental care doesn’t end there – what you do at home has a huge impact on your pet’s oral health and the frequency of required dental cleanings. Stay tuned for another blog post on at home dental hygiene!
