Dental Radiography

Dental radiographs, or x-rays, are an important diagnostic tool in veterinary medicine. Dental X-rays allow us to identify dental issues that may cause the pet discomfort, difficulty eating, or may lead to other painful and potentially dangerous health conditions down the road such as periodontal disease, tooth root abscesses, jaw fractures, tumors, and more.

Dental x-rays in pets are similar to those taken in humans. X-ray imaging, utilizing a minimal amount of radiation, allows us to see all aspects within your pet’s mouth, including areas difficult to access during manual examination as well as below the gum line, not visible to the naked eye.

For the comfort of the pet and to assist with an excited, fidgeting, or fearful animal, dental x-rays are performed under general anesthesia or sedation. In recent years, digital dental radiography has become more popular than ever. One distinct advantage of digital radiography over traditional film x-rays is the significant reduction in the amount of radiation required to acquire the x-ray image. In addition, digital radiography allows us to adjust the images, enlarging them or adjusting brightness/contrast for a more enhanced view to see important details more clearly.

Advancements in dental radiography allow us the ability to provide a more extensive review of your pet’s dental and, ultimately, overall health. With every dental that is performed, full mouth dental x-rays are included. We want to ensure that every tooth is healthy. In the event of an extraction, a pre and post x-ray is taken to ensure complete removal of the tooth and roots.