INTRODUCTION TO DENTAL RADIOLOGY: THE KEYS TO BETTER CARE

摘要

Dental radiology using intraoral film may be used by all veterinary offices. There is a lot of mystique around dental radiology, but it really is not that hard! With time and practice, it can be mastered by all. Dental radiology may be used in all types of dental/oral disease to document and study the progress of therapeutic programs. In cases where neoplasia or metabolic disease is suspected, it is used to evaluate involvement of teeth and bone; in oral trauma, it is used to evaluate the mandible and/or maxilla. Intraoral dental radiographs can be used (1) in young patients to evaluate the presence of unerupted or impacted teeth; (2) during prophylactic or therapeutic teeth cleaning to evaluate the extent of periodontal disease by evaluating bone loss and the method of treatment to be employed; (3) in patients with oral stomas (fistulas) as a diagnostic tool; (4) in patients undergoing endodontic therapy to allow the practitioner to evaluate that therapy and to study radicular health and size prior, during and after endodontic therapy; (4) in patients with missing teeth to ascertain the status of potentially impacted roots or teeth; (5) to evaluate the status of the tooth and root below the gumline in case of missing or partly erupted teeth (Edentulous is without teeth. A dilaceration is an abnormally shaped root resulting from trauma during tooth development. An embedded tooth is one that is usually covered in bone and that has not erupted into the oral cavity and is not likely to erupt.); (6)prior to or during extractions to ascertain the location of retained root tips; and (7) for diagnosis, to document progress or for referral consultation.