ABSTRACT
The dental hard tissues include enamel, dentin, and cementum, which are the major structures of the crown and root of the teeth. This chapter discusses the following pathologies that create radiographically visible lesions of the hard dental substances: tooth resorption, caries, enamel hypoplasia, enamel hypo- calcification, dentinal dysplasia, and a selection of abnormalities in tooth shape and structure. In addition, traumatic defects to enamel and/or dentin, luxation, or attrition/abrasion can cause significant changes in hard dental tissue. Physiologically, tooth resorption (TR) occurs during the changing of dentition from deciduous to permanent teeth. Dentinal dysplasia is characterized by abnormal dentin formation following the initial deposition of mantle dentin, which results in abnormally short or absent roots and a narrow pulp chamber. TRs are very common in felines. Many of the conditions listed below refer to abnormal shape, structure, or orientation of teeth, which are detectable only with the use of radiography.
