Intraoral dental radiography: Experimental study and clinical use in two horses and a llama

A technique for intraoral radiography of the maxillary cheek teeth in large animals using strips of nonscreen and commercial dental x-ray film is described. The method was initially tested using horse cadaver heads and subsequently on three large animal patients with signs of dental disease. Limitations of the described technique include necessity for general anesthesia, special x-ray film and manual developing. Additionally, the need for very accurate adjustment of incident beam angle, beam centering point and depth in the oral cavity provide a major technical challenge. After becoming familiar with the technique, the major limitation was increased time for manual film developing. The images provided by nonscreen technique were subjectively superior. The anatomic detail of the apical and periodontal regions of the teeth was better than on survey radiographs. Nonscreen intraoral technique should be considered for anesthetized large animal patients with signs of dental disease.