Oral Examination and Charting

This chapter provides information on the indications, equipment, resources, and procedure for oral examination and charting in small animal dentistry. A complete oral examination should be performed whenever possible to detect lesions as early as possible. An alert oral exam can give a quick overview of oral conditions in most patients. A complete oral examination can only be performed under general anesthesia and will include physical examination of the oral and dental structures, periodontal probing, transillumination, and intraoral radiography. A thorough examination can be performed on every patient in a reasonable amount of time and is essential to detect any abnormalities that may be present.