Why does my dog need X-rays?

X-rays are usually done during the course of routine dental cleaning, and that is to help us see under the gum line. I used to not have an X-ray, and I missed so many teeth that I didn't even know were affected or diseased under the gums. Sometimes you will have issues along the root where you have bone loss along the root of the teeth. There's no way to see that by looking at the crown. So X-rays allow us to look under the surface so we can get a better idea of the health of that tooth.

X-rays help us to evaluate below the gum line, which is often where the disease process occurs. They allow us to check for bone loss and bad roots. Sometimes a tooth may have multiple roots and it may feel solid but there's actually a bad root, which would necessitate the removal of that tooth.

Dental radiographs are crucial and should be a standard of care. They allow us to examine the unseen parts of a tooth, particularly the root and the tissue underneath the gum line. The radiographs help us assess the health of the root, pulp cavity, and periodontal ligament, which holds the tooth in place. With these radiographs, we can detect tooth root abscesses, infections, and bone damage. They also help us make decisions about whether a tooth needs to be removed or if it can be saved through medical treatments.

The only way for us to know the full health of a mouth is to take oral x-rays or radiographs, which give us an idea of what's happening below the gum line. When you look at your dog's mouth, all you can see is the crown of the tooth, which is kind of like the tip of the iceberg. It's the top half of the tooth, but ultimately the bottom half of the tooth, the part that's stuck in the jaw is the most important part of that tooth. The only way that we can evaluate that is by taking oral x-rays or radiographs.