Dental X-rays

Dental x-rays are now an integral part of all our dental procedures, and it is our opinion that dentals performed on animals should always involve the option to take a dental x-ray if required.  On direct visualisation of the tooth we can only see the crown of the tooth. We cannot see the root or jaw bone surrounding it without an x-ray. Substantial disease and pain can be associated with these areas and often without any outward sign of problem.

I’m sure we have all experienced some degree of tooth ache in our lives and it is likely our animals may have similar sensations regarding dental pain. The difference with animals is that they often do not show any external signs of this pain, as they have evolved in the wild to hide signs of discomfort and carry on eating at all costs. Combine the lack of symptoms with potentially normal looking teeth in the mouth, and it can be impossible to find sources of pain such as tooth root abscesses without a dental x-ray picture. Without dental x-ray, many sources of ongoing dental pain can be missed, with animals continuing with pain after a dental procedure.

For more information on dental x-rays and the conditions that they can be used to identify, please see our factsheet page here.

If you would like to book a dental x-ray for your pet, please contact us on 01626 835002.