Feline Dental Diseases Study Guide

Overview and Clinical Importance

Dental diseases represent some of the most common conditions affecting domestic cats, with studies indicating that 50-90% of cats over 4 years of age have some form of dental pathology. The three most clinically significant feline dental diseases are tooth resorption (TR), periodontal disease, and feline chronic gingivostomatitis (FCGS). Understanding these conditions is essential for NAVLE success and clinical practice, as cats are masters at hiding oral pain.

Tooth resorption is particularly high-yield for the NAVLE, affecting 28-67% of cats depending on the population studied. The condition was previously known by various names including feline odontoclastic resorptive lesions (FORLs), cervical line lesions, and neck lesions. The current accepted terminology is simply tooth resorption (TR) as designated by the American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC).

Feline Dental Anatomy

Adult cats have 30 permanent teeth with the dental formula: I 3/3, C 1/1, P 3/2, M 1/1 per side. Cats lack the first premolars (P1) in both jaws, and the mandible only has two premolars. The carnassial teeth (maxillary P4 and mandibular M1) are critical for shearing and are commonly affected by dental disease.