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In this final part of Top Tips in Dental Radiography, we’ll look at some simple tips to get the best shots from our Feline patients!
I am often asked how to take an image of the feline maxillary teeth and not get the zygomatic arch in the way. Well, there is no way! It will always appear as that is the anatomy. But if it needs to be moved, you must decide which way – Up or Down? The first image is taken to ensure a diagnostic image without elongation of the upper quadrant’s teeth (canine to molar). Then the decision is made based on what structures the zygomatic arch is obscuring – usually either the root tips or the neck of the upper 4th Premolar, if at all.
Usually, the arch needs to be moved upward on the x-ray – this means lowering the tube angle slightly (by approx. 10 degrees total) to purposefully elongate the image and move the arch upward. Then both images are used to assess the patient’s oral condition. If you can visualise all of the tooth and surrounding PDL and bone, then the arch does not need to be moved.
A common difficulty is imaging the mandibular canine teeth. Often, the apices of these teeth are missed, and the x-ray needs to be retaken. Ideally, we want to get these teeth in the same shot as the mandibular incisors.
Firstly, consider where the plate or sensor is being placed, as this is usually the cause of the problem. If your patient is in dorsal recumbency, the tongue will relax toward the roof of the mouth. Be sure to raise the tongue and return it to its normal anatomical position, then place the plate/sensor beneath the tongue (between it and the ET Tube) but angle the plate as though it were a diamond u rather than a rectangle (Fig.1) – the plate will now fit neatly into the cat’s mouth. Use a folded gauze swab beneath it to hold it in place
Focusing too closely on whether root structure is visible or not can lead to our minds playing tricks on us, especially when trying to determine if there is root structure visible in Type 2 Tooth Resorption. The first tip is to take a step back from your computer screen – see the bigger picture! Then ask your nurse to cover the crowns of the teeth on the image (with a piece of paper or card) – now take another look – can you see dentinal structures without visualising the crown? It’s a simple trick that may be just the thing you need to help you discern whether there is remaining tooth structure or not.
I hope this series of tips and tricks has been helpful with your dental radiography. iM3 is now proud to offer tailored training solutions to help your team get the most out of their dental x-ray equipment. Contact iM3 directly for more information, and check out our website for more tips and tricks https://im3vet.com.au/resources/
iM3 is a family-owned veterinary dental company established in Sydney, Australia, over 30 years ago. In that time, iM3 has grown to become a leading veterinary dental company setting the standard in product innovation, industry firsts and continuing education. Our large involvement in CE throughout the world means the people responsible for the development of new products also know how to use them, and we pride ourselves on providing the best possible after-sales and customer technical support in the industry.
Following on from these traditions, iM3 is now very proud to announce our tailored training solutions for your Team, offering in-clinic training and education on a wide range of topics from industry experts to allow you to provide the highest standards of care for your dental patients.
To make a booking for your in-clinic training experience, please email us at: sales@im3vet.com
For over 15 years Maggie has worked in small animal general practice and we’re sure she’s a familiar face to many in the industry. Her passion for dentistry led to her obtaining the Diploma of Veterinary Nursing (Dental) and the Veterinary Technician Specialty VTS (Dentistry). Maggie has experience in General Practice Dentistry as well as in Specialty practice having conducted nurse dental clinics and assisting in both general and advanced specialty procedures. As an experienced and qualified trainer, Maggie has provided training in dentistry to veterinary teams both domestically and internationally and brings her contagious passion for dentistry to her role at iM3 in providing training and support to our clients.
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