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What are resorption lesions?

Tooth resorptions (TR) are a common and painful dental problem that affects up to 25-75% of all adult cats. Tooth resorption lesions often affect multiple permanent teeth and can occur anywhere on the tooth surface. Tooth resorption results in erosion and destruction of the enamel of the tooth causing pain, inflammation and infection.

TRs were originally called feline “neck lesions” because they commonly seemed to affect the “neck” region of the tooth. Early lesions can appear like a subtle, small area of inflamed gum growing over the tooth. Some TRs are much more obvious with evidence of an actual hole in the surface of the enamel. However, many TRs cannot be seen externally in the mouth at all and can only be identified with dental x-rays.

Causes of resorption lesions

While the precise cause of feline TRs still remains unknown despite numerous studies, we understand that it is a complex disease that develops as a result of multifactorial causes:

• Incorrect diet: soft food, excessive Vitamin D intake
• Genetics: studies suggest certain breeds may have an increased susceptibility
• Ongoing dental disease

What are the symptoms of resorption lesions?

Cats are masters at hiding signs of pain or discomfort. This means the symptoms of TRs are often very subtle and many cats will show no obvious symptoms. Things to look out that may indicate your cat has TRs include:

• Foul smelling breath, brown calculus accumulation on the teeth, inflamed gums
• Increased salivation or drooling
• Changes in food preferences or textures
• Lethargy, sleeping a lot
• Poor appetite, weight loss
• Nasal discharge, sneezing
• Repetitive jaw movement when eating, drinking, grooming
• Oral pain

Diagnosis

There are three ways to detect these lesions:

1. Visual: red spot of gum overlying lesion, actual tooth resorption defect may be apparent
2. Probing: using a specific feline dental probe placed under the gum margin under anaesthetic
3. Digital Radiology (x-rays): this is the most accurate and sensitive tool to diagnosis tooth resorption lesions

Treatment

• First it is vital to perform a through and complete dental assessment of your cat’s mouth while they are under general anaesthesia. Your veterinarian will carefully perform dental probing into the gum pockets to detect further lesions before obtaining a full set of dental radiographs for assessment.
• Once all tooth resorptions have been identified, the next step is to perform a thorough dental scale and polish to remove tartar and plaque which are one of the triggers of the disease.
• Unfortunately extraction is the only effective treatment for tooth resorptions. If lesions are noted during your cat’s dental procedure we will recommended to extract the affected tooth.
• We believe it is very important that all our patients receive adequate multi-modal pain relief when undergoing surgical procedures. For cats undergoing teeth extractions, we administer injections of pain relief before and after their surgery in addition to place local nerve blocks when they are under anaesthetic. Most cats will also receive pain medications to go home with.
• Regular dental checks by your vet are recommended every 6 months to detect early lesions before significant pain occurs.

Disclaimer: Please note that the information provided on this page does not replace the advice of your veterinarian. If you are concerned about your cat’s health in any way, we strongly recommend you seek veterinary advice.