The Case for Intraoral Radiographs - Can you practice quality dentistry without intraoral films? Hint: No.

摘要

This past January our veterinary dental assistant called the first three listed AAHA-accredited animal hospitals in each state to ask the hospital's technician three questions: 1. Does the practice have the capability to expose and examine intraoral radiographs? 2. What is the rough percentage of dental cases that received intraoral films? 3. What percentage of dental cases received full-mouth radiographs? The results were surprising. This case of a 6-year old chihuahua presented to treat discoloredmandibular incisors emphasizes the importance of intraoral radiography to the delivery of needed dental care. Intake oral examination on the chihuahua revealed multiple oral abnormalities, including a complicated crown/root fractured left maxillary thirdincisor, and discolored right and left mandibular first and left second incisors. The left mandibular third incisor was clinically missing. Additionally the left maxillary canine was clinically missing with an apparent area of inflammation in its place(Figures 1, 2 and 3 on next page).