Feasibility of dental panoramic radiography for dental arch evaluation in small animals

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of dental panoramic radiography for dental arch evaluation in small animals. The dental arches of four Beagles, one Shih Tzu dog, and three Korean short-haired cats were radiographed using human panoramic X-rays. All animals were under general anaesthesia during the examination. The animals’ heads were placed horizontal to the panoramic device, just as a human’s head is placed in panoramic dental assessments. All animals were evaluated with an open and closed mouth view (human view). In the closed mouth view, the animal was provided a bite blocker for proper placement of the oral cavity. The open mouth view angle was approximately 30–45°. The maxilla and mandible were held in position with radiolucent 3M tape. The standard scoring measurement was performed based on visibility of the tooth root and the sharpness of the dento-alveolar margin. No significant differences in scoring were noticed between the two positions. The visibility of teeth roots in Beagles was far better than that in the Shih Tzu dogs and two Korean short-haired cats. In addition, the Beagle series showed sharp dento-alveolar margin scores. These results suggest that human panoramic dental X-rays represent a possible dental evaluation tool for animals with large skulls.

Diagnostic Yield of Dental Radiography and Cone-Beam Computed Tomography for the Identification of Anatomic Structures in Cats

“…The feasibility of dental panoramic imaging for dental arch evaluation in small animals has been previously investigated (5). In the present study, a single panoramic view was found to be unsuitable for evaluation of the entire skull of the cat due to the inability to include all anatomic structures of interest in a single curved plane without superimposition of anatomic structures.…”

“…The use of rapid scan technology, which allows for faster image acquisition than conventional CT, and the ability to post process the volumetric data into various 2-D and 3-D reconstructions, makes CBCT an attractive imaging modality. Currently, validation of the clinical application of CBCT in veterinary patients is ongoing (5–12), and more research is required to validate the use of CBCT to responsibly promote its use in routine veterinary clinical practice.…”