When it comes to dentistry, sometimes teeth are like icebergs—there’s a lot going on “below the surface.” In this case, under the gumline.
Unfortunately, the parts of the tooth you can see don’t always tell the whole story.
That’s where dental radiography comes in.
Here are a few situations when dental x-rays could make your client communications easier, help you provide better patient care, and improve your bottom line…
Finding pesky root tips
If you’re extracting a tooth with a fractured root—whether the root splintered prior to the dental procedure or the tip happened to break off during a difficult extraction—you generally want to be sure you’ve removed each and every piece.
In many cases, root tips left behind can lead to infection, pain, or an abscess, plus another procedure to retrieve the piece and an unhappy client.
Radiographs help because you have confirmation that you’ve removed all pieces of the tooth roots.
For extractions, it can be useful to take “before and after” images that clearly document the successful removal of the tooth and its root(s).
Informing owners of the risk of jaw fractures
Sometimes, periodontal disease has caused so much bone loss that it leads to a pathological fracture in the jaw.
Or, the jaw could have so much bone loss that there’s a high risk of iatrogenic jaw fracture during a dental procedure and extraction.
You can probably imagine what could go wrong without radiographs…
When you extract the bad tooth, a jaw fracture can occur if that area of the mandible is already severely compromised due to disease and bone loss. But without radiographic proof of the underlying condition, the client may be inclined to blame your technique, rather than recognizing the severity of their pet’s periodontal disease.
Taking radiographs beforehand helps to set up realistic expectations of risk.
Discovering retained and impacted teeth
Whenever teeth are missing, dental x-rays are a good idea.
Sometimes, below the gumline, you’ll find retained or impacted teeth. Left in place, they could lead to dentigerous cysts or other problems.
Without radiographs, these “hidden” teeth can be difficult to find and treat.
Detecting damage to neighboring teeth
Maybe there’s one tooth that’s obviously bad… But, bone loss and infection have also affected the integrity of the neighboring teeth.
Dental radiographs will help you determine whether or not neighboring teeth are viable. And, the images provide tangible evidence that a neighboring tooth needs to be extracted.
This visual aid can make it easier to show a client exactly what you’re talking about, and help to reinforce your recommendations.
And more…
Dental radiographs can also help you look for oral neoplasias, feline resorptive lesions, tooth root abscesses, and more.
Sometimes this will help to confirm your clinical suspicions based on the patient’s presentation and symptoms. Other times, the findings may come as a surprise—allowing you to treat before the problem becomes worse.
With all the information dental x-rays provide, they can really help you create a thorough treatment plan that covers everything a patient needs during their dental procedure.
Your treatment recommendations can help to improve your dentistry revenue. And, importantly, your dental images can also help you provide excellent patient care and increase client knowledge and compliance.
Ask us about a free demo for your hospital, to see how dental radiography can fit into your practice space and daily appointment flow.
Written by: Dr. Tammy Powell, DVM
