Luna recently visited Uni Vets Camden with a very wobbly problem - her lower left canine tooth was loose and sticking straight out of her mouth!
In Luna’s case, it was recommended that she underwent a general anesthetic for dental radiographs to investigate the cause for her loose tooth. In addition to trauma, underlying diseases can cause teeth to become loose, such as “feline odontoclastic resorptive lesions” which occur when the tooth bone starts to fuse with the jaw bone.
Dental radiographs are an essential part of the dental staging process, as they allow visualisation of problems occurring below the gum-line. In Luna’s case, there was no evidence of underlying disease, and her affected canine tooth and others were removed without complication.
By Brittany Short - Final Year Veterinary Student, The University of Sydney
