Periodontal disease

You can see from the above photographs the importance of dental radiographs.  It is said that 60-70% of all dogs over 5 years old have periodontal disease but you can only diagnose about 10% of those cases without dental x-rays.  In a case like this, all you can see are red gums but with an x-ray, you can see the bone loss and the periapical abcess which, in people is quite painful and in this case, an extraction or root canal is necessary.

Why Radiology?

	To see pathology hiding below the gingiva or inside the tooth
	Evaluate an area where the teeth appear to be missing
	To document the obvious - supporting treatment decisions
	For client communication
	Medical/legal documentation
	Postoperative confirmation of proper extraction
	Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative endodontics
	Follow progression of pulpal pathology and/or periodontal disease
	For prepurchase exams on show dogs to see if the proper number of teeth exist