Cat Dental Resorption: Recognition and Management

Feline tooth resorption affects up to 75% of adult cats. The condition causes severe pain that is frequently missed until dental radiography reveals its extent.

Key Facts

Tooth resorption is the most common dental disease requiring tooth extraction in cats
It involves progressive destruction of tooth structure from the inside out
Type 1 lesions have inflamed ligament and are exquisitely painful
Type 2 lesions have ankylosis and root replacement with bone
Without radiography, up to 50% of resorptive lesions are missed at examination

Welfare Considerations

Tooth resorption causes intense pain that cats mask extraordinarily well. Owners typically notice signs only after multiple teeth have been affected for months or years. Annual dental examination including full mouth radiography is the only reliable detection method. Type 1 lesions require extraction of the complete tooth including root; Type 2 allows crown amputation leaving the ankylosed root to be reabsorbed. Post-extraction cats typically show dramatic improvements in activity, appetite and grooming that reveal the chronic pain they had been masking.

What You Can Do

Request full mouth dental radiographs during your cat annual dental examination
Recognise subtle signs of dental pain: reduced play, pawing at face, changed food preference
Proceed with extraction of affected teeth promptly — delay prolongs suffering
Feed a dental diet or use dental treats as maintenance between professional cleanings
Schedule professional dental assessment at least annually for all adult cats