{"id":4344,"date":"2020-02-05T16:18:30","date_gmt":"2020-02-05T16:18:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aercmn.com\/?p=4344"},"modified":"2020-02-05T16:18:30","modified_gmt":"2020-02-05T16:18:30","slug":"5-reasons-why-your-pet-needs-dental-x-rays","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aercmn.com\/blog\/5-reasons-why-your-pet-needs-dental-x-rays\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Reasons Why Your Pet Needs Dental X-Rays"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4350 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aercmn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/2.png\" alt=\"Dentistry &amp; Oral Surgery service, AERC, Animal Emergency &amp; Referral Center of Minnesota, veterinary dentistry, veterinary oral surgery, Animal Emergency &amp; Referral Center of Minnesota\" width=\"800\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.aercmn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/2.png 800w, https:\/\/www.aercmn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/2-768x384.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Dental x-rays are an essential diagnostic tool in assessing your pet\u2019s overall oral health. Approximately two-thirds of the tooth resides under the gumline which makes it impossible to accurately assess the health of the tooth by visual examination alone.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_4351\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4351\" class=\"wp-image-4351 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aercmn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/3.png\" alt=\"Dentistry &amp; Oral Surgery service, AERC, Animal Emergency &amp; Referral Center of Minnesota, veterinary dentistry, veterinary oral surgery, Animal Emergency &amp; Referral Center of Minnesota\" width=\"800\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.aercmn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/3.png 800w, https:\/\/www.aercmn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/3-768x384.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-4351\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Extracted maxillary canine tooth in a medium-sized patient. Tooth above the red line is the tooth root. Below the red line is the crown. Quarter for size reference.<\/p><\/div>\n<h4><strong>What is a Dental X-Ray?<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>A dental x-ray is a black and white two-dimensional image that is taken while your pet is under anesthesia by positioning a sensor inside of the mouth, just like when you visit your human dentist. They\u2019re much smaller and considerably more detailed than your average x-ray of a limb or belly. A dental x-ray shows fine details that are needed to evaluate the teeth and surrounding structures.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_4352\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4352\" class=\"wp-image-4352 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aercmn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/4.png\" alt=\"Dentistry &amp; Oral Surgery service, AERC, Animal Emergency &amp; Referral Center of Minnesota, veterinary dentistry, veterinary oral surgery, Animal Emergency &amp; Referral Center of Minnesota\" width=\"800\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.aercmn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/4.png 800w, https:\/\/www.aercmn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/4-768x384.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-4352\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dental x-ray of the left mandibular first molar in a dog.<\/p><\/div>\n<h4><strong>Does My Pet Really Need Dental X-Rays?<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>There are many reasons to take a dental x-ray, but full mouth x-rays are always recommended annually during your pet\u2019s anesthetized oral exam and cleaning. Here are five reasons why your pet needs annual dental x-rays:<\/p>\n<h4>1. Pathology<\/h4>\n<p>In many cases, oral diseases and injuries can be hidden below the gumline, undetectable upon oral exam alone.<\/p>\n<h4>2. Oral Infection<\/h4>\n<p>Teeth that look normal to the naked eye can be surprisingly infected below the gumline. In this case, the tooth was so badly infected that the jaw bone was fractured \u2013 essential information that a veterinarian needs prior to treatment.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_4347\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4347\" class=\"wp-image-4347 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aercmn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/8.png\" alt=\"Dentistry &amp; Oral Surgery service, AERC, Animal Emergency &amp; Referral Center of Minnesota, veterinary dentistry, veterinary oral surgery, Animal Emergency &amp; Referral Center of Minnesota\" width=\"800\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.aercmn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/8.png 800w, https:\/\/www.aercmn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/8-768x384.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-4347\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mandibular molar in a dog. Severe infection has led to jaw fracture (red arrow).<\/p><\/div>\n<h4>3. Missing Teeth and Tooth Roots<\/h4>\n<p>Missing teeth should always be x-rayed to be sure they aren\u2019t hiding under the gumline. Teeth that have not erupted can lead to cysts and can be destructive to the jaw bones.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_4348\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4348\" class=\"wp-image-4348 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aercmn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/9.png\" alt=\"Dentistry &amp; Oral Surgery service, AERC, Animal Emergency &amp; Referral Center of Minnesota, veterinary dentistry, veterinary oral surgery, Animal Emergency &amp; Referral Center of Minnesota\" width=\"800\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.aercmn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/9.png 800w, https:\/\/www.aercmn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/9-768x384.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-4348\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The first premolar appears to be missing on visual exam (left photo, white arrow), but on dental x-ray (right photo) is under the gumline and forming a cyst (red arrow).<\/p><\/div>\n<p>In addition, in the next photo, this dog had a missing tooth root. On visual examination, there was no indication at all an underlying problem was lurking. X-rays revealed that one of the tooth roots was completely non-existent. The missing root would have been missed completely if full mouth x-rays hadn\u2019t been taken.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_4353\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4353\" class=\"wp-image-4353 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aercmn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/5.png\" alt=\"Dentistry &amp; Oral Surgery service, AERC, Animal Emergency &amp; Referral Center of Minnesota, veterinary dentistry, veterinary oral surgery, Animal Emergency &amp; Referral Center of Minnesota\" width=\"800\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.aercmn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/5.png 800w, https:\/\/www.aercmn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/5-768x384.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-4353\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Maxillary premolar in a dog. The tooth looks normal upon visual exam, but dental x-rays reveal a missing tooth root (red arrows).<\/p><\/div>\n<h4>4. Oral Surgery<\/h4>\n<p>Dental x-rays are imperative both before and after surgical extraction. Your family veterinarian or board-certified veterinary dentist needs to confirm that the entire tooth structure was extracted. Retained tooth roots can be a source of pain and infection.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_4345\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4345\" class=\"wp-image-4345 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aercmn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/6.png\" alt=\"Dentistry &amp; Oral Surgery service, AERC, Animal Emergency &amp; Referral Center of Minnesota, veterinary dentistry, veterinary oral surgery, Animal Emergency &amp; Referral Center of Minnesota\" width=\"800\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.aercmn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/6.png 800w, https:\/\/www.aercmn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/6-768x384.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-4345\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Retained maxillary premolar tooth roots in a dog (red arrows).<\/p><\/div>\n<h4>5. Tooth Resorption in Cats<\/h4>\n<p>Tooth resorption is a common condition in cats where the tooth structure erodes and can lead to painful lesions with the nerve tissue exposed. We need dental x-rays to assess the extent of the erosion and to decide on the appropriate type of treatment. A lot of times, tooth resorption is actually imperceptible until the x-ray is taken.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_4346\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4346\" class=\"wp-image-4346 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aercmn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/7.png\" alt=\"Dentistry &amp; Oral Surgery service, AERC, Animal Emergency &amp; Referral Center of Minnesota, veterinary dentistry, veterinary oral surgery, Animal Emergency &amp; Referral Center of Minnesota\" width=\"800\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.aercmn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/7.png 800w, https:\/\/www.aercmn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/7-768x384.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-4346\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Maxillary canine tooth with tooth resorption in a cat (red arrow).<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Unlike people, our pets can\u2019t tell us where it hurts. Dental x-rays are a very important tool to understand what\u2019s going on in your pet\u2019s mouth \u2013 just below the surface. Your pet\u2019s dental health is critical to his overall health; if your pet hasn\u2019t had an oral examination in a while, talk to your family vet about your pet\u2019s teeth today!<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-4354 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aercmn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Copy-of-Copy-of-About-the-Author-6.png\" alt=\"Dentistry &amp; Oral Surgery service, AERC, Animal Emergency &amp; Referral Center of Minnesota, veterinary dentistry, veterinary oral surgery, Animal Emergency &amp; Referral Center of Minnesota\" width=\"800\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.aercmn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Copy-of-Copy-of-About-the-Author-6.png 800w, https:\/\/www.aercmn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Copy-of-Copy-of-About-the-Author-6-768x384.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><a data-pin-do=\"embedPin\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/386676318009614055\/\"><\/a><br \/>\n<script async defer src=\"\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinit.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dental x-rays are an essential diagnostic tool in assessing your pet\u2019s overall oral health. Approximately two-thirds of the tooth resides under the gumline which makes it impossible to accurately assess the health of the tooth by visual examination alone. What is a Dental X-Ray? A dental x-ray is a black and white two-dimensional image that [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4356,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[1203,17,2221,2222,1047,2223,1192,565],"class_list":["post-4344","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-aerc-dentistry-oral-surgery-service","tag-animal-emergency-referral-center-of-minnesota","tag-dental-x-rays","tag-dentistry","tag-oral-exam","tag-oral-surgery","tag-pet-dental-health-month","tag-veterinary-dentistry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>5 Reasons Why Your Pet Needs Dental X-Rays | Pet Dental Health Month<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Heidi, a veterinary dental technician at Animal Emergency &amp; Referral Center of Minnesota, explains why pets need annual dental x-rays.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aercmn.com\/blog\/5-reasons-why-your-pet-needs-dental-x-rays\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"5 Reasons Why Your Pet Needs Dental X-Rays | Pet Dental Health Month\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Heidi, a veterinary dental technician at Animal Emergency &amp; 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