Crown Amputations

Cats contract a special disease of the tooth called a feline ododontic resorptive lesion (FORL). It is a painful condition much like a cavity in which there is progressive destruction of the enamel resulting in a slowly deepening hole in the affected tooth at the gum line. The cause of this disease is believed to be multifactorial with causes being genetics, poor oral hygiene
and diet.

When your cat has a FORL then the treatment is either to extract the tooth or to amputate the crown. The decision as to which procedure is performed is based on the radiographic appearance of the root of the affected tooth.