Dental X-rays work the same way for pets as they do for people. They let the veterinary team see inside your pet’s teeth and under the gums so that they can identify problems that otherwise go unseen.
In cats, painful erosions in the tooth’s enamel can affect areas under the gumline. Many of these would be missed without X-rays.
All sorts of animals can suffer from fractured teeth or tooth abscesses. And tooth remnants or disease beneath the gums can only be identified on X-rays. Similarly, baby teeth that remain after adult teeth grow in will show up on X-rays.
Oral tumors are also pretty common in dogs and cats, damaging bone as well as soft tissue. X-rays can show the damage while it may still be treatable.
Just like us, dogs and cats should have dental X-rays at least once a year. It’s part of sound preventive medicine.