Dental X-Rays

Intra oral radiographs (x-rays) are an important part of your pet’s dental care. Remember much of the tooth lies under the gums. The only way to evaluate the root structure, the inside of the tooth and the supportive bone is to take x-rays. Dental radiography allows for diagnosis of certain diseases, plan for the appropriate treatment as well as monitoring for treatment success. Without dental x-rays, important dental diseases can be missed.

There are many reasons that the doctor may feel that dental x-rays are needed, including:

• Missing or fractured teeth
• Bleeding from the gums
• A tooth that is discolored
• Feline Odontoclastic Resorptive Lesions (FORL) are present (similar to a cavity)
• Periodontal disease is present
• Before a surgical extraction of a tooth

At Parktown Veterinary Clinic we use digital x-rays, the most advanced form of dental radiography. X-rays are taken during your pets dental cleaning and only takes a few seconds to appear on the computer screen. The doctors are able to fully evaluate your pet’s teeth and determine the right course of treatment. X-rays are recommended by the doctor when a suspicious tooth is noted on oral exam, however, full-mouth x-rays (as performed yearly by human dentists on our own mouths) are available at an owner’s request.