Tooth roots
Root fractures, roots left behind after earlier extractions, and the shape and number of roots before extraction or treatment.
Service
Dental radiography for dogs and cats
Full-mouth X-rays reveal roots, bone and changes hidden beneath the gumline.
What dental radiographs show that the eye cannot
An examination, even under anaesthesia, shows only the crowns of the teeth and the gums. The roots, the jaw bone and much of the disease lie deeper — only dental radiography reveals them.
Bone around the tooth
The level of bone support and bone loss from periodontitis — which decides whether a tooth can be saved.
Tooth resorption (TR)
Lesions below the gumline, and the stage and type of resorption that determine extraction versus crown amputation.
Unerupted teeth
A tooth you can’t see in the mouth may be sitting in the bone, sometimes with a cyst forming around it.
Lesions at the root tip
Inflammation in the bone around the root tip when the pulp has died — even if the tooth looks intact or only slightly discoloured.
Pulp and root development
The width of the pulp cavity and thickness of the root walls — to assess a tooth after trauma, pulpotomy or root canal treatment.
Why I image the whole mouth, not just one tooth
Oral disease is often multiple, and teeth that look healthy can show bone loss, resorption or a lesion at the root on radiographs. Imaging only the ‘suspicious’ tooth leaves some problems undetected — and the animal goes on living with pain nobody can see.
Full-mouth dental radiography is recommended by international veterinary dental guidance, including the position statement of the American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC). A full set of images also becomes a baseline: at later check-ups I compare new radiographs with the previous ones and can see how things have changed.
Why radiographs are taken under anaesthesia
For a dental radiograph the sensor is placed inside the mouth next to a specific tooth, and the animal must be completely still. Without anaesthesia a dog or cat won’t allow the sensor to be positioned correctly, may bite it, and any movement blurs the image. A full set of images is impossible without anaesthesia.
That is why dental radiography is combined with the other steps — examination, periodontal probing, oral cavity sanitation and treatment — under a single anaesthetic. Anaesthesia is given and monitored by a separate veterinary anaesthetist while I carry out diagnostics and treatment.
Are dental radiographs safe?
Dental radiography uses a small radiation dose, and the beam is aimed precisely at the area of the tooth. Because the animal is under anaesthesia, nobody needs to hold it, and fewer images have to be retaken because of movement.
What needs individual assessment is mainly the anaesthetic, not the X-rays: its risks are evaluated beforehand based on age, health and test results. Skipping radiographs, on the other hand, means risking missed infection or pain that then goes untreated.
How I use the images and share them with you
Radiographs are the basis of the treatment plan: they tell me which teeth can be saved, which need endodontic or periodontal treatment, and which need extracting. After extractions, follow-up images confirm that no root fragments remain in the bone; after root canal treatment, they confirm the canals are fully filled.
After the procedure I show you the images and explain the findings. You receive them in a PDF report together with the dental chart and recommendations, so you can show them to your own vet and use them for comparison at future check-ups.
Who this procedure is for
- ✓Before any dental treatment
- ✓Where a hidden root problem is suspected
- ✓For follow-up after root canal treatment
- ✓Cats with suspected tooth resorption (TR)
- ✓A tooth is missing, or a permanent tooth hasn’t appeared after the deciduous teeth were shed
- ✓After an injury to a tooth or the jaw
- ✓Before and after an extraction, to confirm it is complete
Symptoms that may indicate this procedure
How diagnosis works
- ✓A full series of dental X-rays covering the whole mouth
- ✓Assessment of every root and the surrounding bone
How the procedure works
- ✓X-rays are taken under anaesthesia
- ✓In the COHAT protocol, imaging follows oral cavity sanitation and periodontal assessment
- ✓Results inform the final treatment plan
- ✓Follow-up images after extractions and root canal treatment
Why anaesthesia is needed
A thorough, full-mouth dental X-ray can only be taken under anaesthesia.
More on this: anaesthesia in veterinary dentistry.
Technology and equipment
Dental X-ray
Possible results
- ✓A complete diagnostic picture
- ✓An informed choice between saving a tooth and extracting it
- ✓Hidden problems in roots, bone and unerupted teeth brought to light
- ✓A baseline for comparison at future check-ups
What the owner receives after the procedure
- ✓Images included in the PDF report
- ✓An explanation of the images and the treatment plan after the procedure
- ✓Comparison with previous images at follow-up check-ups
What affects the fee
As part of COHAT or as a standalone step — cost is agreed as part of the treatment plan.
Frequently asked questions
A full assessment usually needs a complete series covering the whole mouth.
Not a proper full series. The sensor is placed inside the mouth next to each tooth, and the animal has to stay still. Without anaesthesia the sensor can’t be positioned correctly and movement blurs the image. That is why radiographs are taken under anaesthesia together with the other diagnostic and treatment steps.
About anaesthesia and safety →The radiation dose in dental radiography is small, and the beam is aimed precisely at the tooth. It is mainly the anaesthetic that needs individual assessment. Missing a root infection or bone loss because no images were taken is a far more significant risk for the animal.
Yes. After the procedure I show you the images and explain them, and you receive them in a PDF report together with the dental chart and recommendations. You can share them with another vet and compare them with new images at future check-ups.
Related services
COHAT
COHAT is a comprehensive oral assessment under anaesthesia that includes oral cavity sanitation, periodontal examination, full-mouth dental radiography and evaluation of every tooth.
More about COHAT →Endodontics & Tooth Preservation
Root canal treatment and vital pulp therapy to preserve traumatised or diseased teeth where clinically indicated.
How root canal treatment works →© dr.vetstomat. Original content.
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