Disease of the oral cavity and the dentition can be detri­mental to an animal’s welfare and general health.

Care of Australian mammals with oral and dental disease has become more common as veterinarians learn to recognise and treat these conditions more readily. A thorough under­standing of oral anatomy, common disease processes and an appropriate diagnostic approach is necessary in devis­ing an effective treatment plan. This chapter will focus on the general principles of diagnosing and treating dental disease in Australian native mammals. Further informa­tion on dental anatomy, disease and radiology can be found in Vogelnest and Woods (2008), Fiani (2015) and Vogelnest and Allan (2015). Apart from juvenile platypus (Ornithor- inchus anatinus), monotremes do not have teeth and are therefore not included in this chapter.

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