Back to Disease DictionaryDental
Tooth Resorption in Cats(FORL)
A condition where the cat's teeth are dissolved by its own cells. Found in 30-70% of cats over 3 years old, making it one of the most common feline dental conditions.
Vet Supervised
Symptoms
- Pain while eating
- Chewing on one side
- Dropping food
- Drooling
- Redness of gums
Related Symptom Pages
Causes
- Unknown (idiopathic)
- Vitamin D metabolism abnormalities suspected
- Activation of odontoclasts by inflammation
Diagnosis
1
Oral examination
2
Dental X-rays (essential for definitive diagnosis)
3
Probing examination
Treatment
- Tooth extraction (definitive treatment)
- Crown amputation (Type 2)
- Pain management
Prognosis
Good prognosis after extraction; cats are relieved of pain and quality of life improves. Progressive if untreated.
Severity: Medium
Prevention
- Regular dental checkups
- Early detection via dental X-rays
- Unfortunately no established prevention method
Commonly Affected Breeds
Epidemiology
Age Range
Increases after 3 years, especially common after 7 years
Prevalence
30-70% of cats over 3 years old