Dental imaging.

This research article explores various techniques of dental imaging in equines, acknowledging radiography as the primary choice while also considering the usefulness of other methods like contrast radiography, CT scans, nuclear medicine, and ultrasonography.

Radiography for Dental Imaging

• This research article identifies radiography as the initial method of choice for conducting dental imaging in horses. Radiography’s popularity stems from its wide availability and its ability to detect changes in the bone and tooth structures in horses.
• Radiography even proves useful when characterising dental involvement in cases that deal with draining tracts, a condition where an abnormal channel develops in the body housing a flowing discharge. This research suggests the use of contrast radiography where a contrast agent may be introduced to improve the visual distinction within the radiographic images.

Use of Other Imaging Modalities

• For lesions that fail to appear in radiographs (radiographically occult), other diagnostic methods are employed. Among these is CT-scanning, providing a better outcome than plain radiography. CT’s superiority lies in its capacity to avoid superimposition of the counterpart dental arcade, offer excellent bone density characterisation and provide higher spatial resolution.
• Nuclear medicine is useful for verifying indication of bone involvement in the dental area in cases where the symptoms are undistinguishable, vague or cannot be promptly localised. Nuclear medicine uses radioactive substances to visualise bodily structures and functions, helping identify bone density variations, a common feature in many dental problems.
• The last technique discussed in the article is ultrasonography. Ultrasonography, known for excellent characterisation of soft tissues, offers assistance in identifying suspected bone lysis (destruction), pathological fractures, and abscesses (collections of pus).