The feline dental resorption lesion (FDRL) is common in domestic and wild cats. It can cause severe pain, gingival injury, periodontal destruction and loss of teeth. It is shown as an erosive lesion of the enamel or cementum often located in the cervical portion of the tooth being similar to decay, but with distinct etiology. The illness may begin inside the tooth, the pulp from progressing to the outside until there is total destruction of the same. There are cases where the diagnosis of dental resorption is only possible by radiographic examination as clinically tooth may appear otherwise healthy. Other injuries expose pulp and dentin, leading to severe pain.

The FDRL aetiology is unknown, but studies for discovering are increasingly described. The disease has been confused with cavities, but currently discusses causes problems related to immune-mediated, concomitantly with periodontal disease, infectious agents, calcium unbalance.

Often injuries are seen in cervical or cementum-enamel junction of the tooth. However, the intraoral radiographic examination shows that the lesions also occur in the tooth roots. Most early lesions identified during routine prophylaxis through the explorer are located in the cervical area.

Injuries can also show how missing teeth in an area with increased marginal alveolar contour or as erythematous area on the crown at the site of internal resorption. It is therefore important to explore and X-ray suspicious sites.

The extraction has been the method of choice for treatment of the FDRL. Teeth affected by resorption present in the root bone substitution process and areas with ankylosis, forming fusion between tooth and bone, making it difficult to extract. The intraoral radiography must be routine in cats treatments in order to confirm the complete removal of the dental element or there are remaining in the alveolus.