Will my dog be getting dental x-rays?

Yes—when we do a dental procedure, which is generally going to be something we recommend annually after about the age of three, and that varies depending on the situation, but dental x-rays are a critical component of us evaluating the mouth. We cannot see under the gum line unless we have dental x-rays, and most of the disease is under the gum line. It’s critical to be able to address any infection, inflammation, or pain in your dog's mouth. We can't do that thoroughly without the x-rays, and I wouldn't recommend doing a dental procedure without dental x-rays. You're going to leave disease behind, and therefore, potentially infection and pain behind in your pet's mouth that you can't see or are unaware of because it's all under the gum line.

So the likelihood is yes, they will be getting dental x-rays. There's what we consider a grade one dental, which is minor tartar and calculus buildup that we don't routinely do dental x-rays, but probably 80 to 90% of our dentals need dental x-rays. And the reason is that dogs can’t tell us where it hurts. You know, you go in to see the dentist, and you say, "My tooth hurts over here," and they still x-ray your teeth to find out what's going on, right? Well, your pet doesn't tell us that. So the dental x-ray's the only way to truly tell what's going on underneath the gum line, what's going on in the periodontal space-and we see if the dog genuinely has some oral disease there. So, routinely dental x-rays are performed, yes.

That is standard in our practice. But not every practice makes it standard, uses full mouth imaging, or has dental imaging capabilities. It's important because at least 72% of dogs have a hidden problem at any given time. That means three out of every four patients I see have a problem. In my experience, when I've gone and looked, 97% of my patients have had something hidden. It's not a hundred, but it's close. That's why we have to look at the two-thirds of each tooth underneath the gum line. We use intraoral x-rays, which go in the mouth. They have sensors so they are digital. Alternatively, we use this machine to get a full scan in about a minute. We interpret that while the team's cleaning up the teeth. We don't do the treatment until we've talked to you about it.

Yes, dental x-rays are a critical part of a dog's dental assessment, as they allow the veterinarian to examine areas of the tooth that are not visible to the naked eye. Dental x-rays are mandatory at Blue Oasis Pet Hospital during dental exams.

Yes, all dentistry patients receive full mouth dental x-rays. This allows the veterinarian to examine any changes beneath the gum line that might not be visible during an oral exam. Dental x-rays can reveal issues that might not have been detected otherwise.

If your dog is having a dental procedure, x-rays are necessary. Veterinarians use x-rays during every dental procedure to count the teeth, examine the crowns (visible part of the tooth), and assess the roots and any hidden issues beneath the gums. X-rays often reveal problems that wouldn't be apparent without them.