ABSTRACT
This chapter explains various pathologies for which dental radiographs are indicated, demonstrating that they are often critical for proper diagnosis and treatment of oral and dental disease. Periodontal disease is by far the most common problem in small animal veterinary medicine. Periodontal probing is a critical first step in the evaluation of periodontal disease. Dental radiographs are absolutely critical for proper dental care in feline patients. Another common scenario in which teeth appear vital but may be endodontically involved, is worn teeth. Extraction of persistent deciduous teeth is a very common procedure performed in veterinary dentistry. In some cases, the tooth is truly missing, but often the tooth/root is actually present and may be creating pain and/or infection. Considering that nearly every veterinary patient has some form of oral/dental disease, and that dental radiographs are indicated for all oral diseases, virtually every patient would benefit from the information provided by dental radiographs.
