Full mouth dental X-rays are performed on every new anesthetized patient as part of a complete oral exam. The importance of dental x-rays is often overlooked and periodontal therapy should not be considered complete without them. The X-rays allow us to evaluate the health of the tooth and bone below the gum line.  Unfortunately, the X-rays cannot be taken on an awake animal as even the slightest amount of motion can blur the image and lead to misdiagnosis. The digital sensors are also very expensive and are easily susceptible to damage if the awake animal bites down on them.