Episode 177 - Tooth Resorption or Ankylosis? Mastering Radiographic Diagnosis in Vet Dentistry

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Host:
Dr. Brett Beckman, DVM, FAVD, DAVDC, DAAPM
Board-Certified Veterinary Dentist

Welcome Back to The Vet Dental Show! Every Wednesday, we bring you powerful, practical tips to enhance your veterinary dentistry skills—whether you're a veterinarian, technician, or part of a dedicated dental team.

On This Episode, we answer a viewer’s question on a key diagnostic challenge: how to distinguish between ankylosis and replacement resorption using dental radiographs. Dr. Beckman walks you through detailed case images and provides radiographic cues to guide accurate interpretation and treatment decisions.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
✅ How to identify replacement resorption vs. ankylosis on dental radiographs
✅ Radiographic signs of periodontal ligament space loss
✅ Interpreting bone lucency and ghosting in feline dental cases
✅ Why not all radiographic abnormalities require extraction
✅ When and how to monitor questionable teeth over time
✅The clinical implications of resorptive lesions in cats and dogs
✅ Real-world example from Dr. Beckman's wet lab training materials

Key Veterinary Dentistry Takeaways:
✅ Replacement resorption often mimics ankylosis by eliminating the periodontal ligament space.
✅ Ankylosis is best identified by the loss of normal root margin clarity and direct fusion of bone to tooth.
✅ A tooth showing no resorptive activity but no ligament space may be ankylosed, not resorbing.
✅ Extraction decisions should consider overall tooth health, potential crown involvement, and the difficulty of access.
✅ Periodic radiographic monitoring (12–18 months) is appropriate for questionable teeth with stable appearance.
✅ Radiographic patterns in cats can inform similar pathologies in dogs.

If you’re passionate about veterinary dentistry and ready to become a top-tier practitioner, request an invite to the Veterinary Dental Practitioner Program at ivdi.org/inv. Don’t miss out on the most comprehensive training available!

Questions or insights? Drop them in the comments!

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Keyword Tags:
veterinary dentistry radiographs, replacement resorption vs ankylosis, feline tooth resorption, veterinary dental case studies, interpreting dental x-rays in cats, veterinary tooth extraction tips, periodontal ligament space loss, vet dental training, Dr. Brett Beckman, veterinary dental practitioner program