Dentistry
Dental Prophylaxis and Oral Surgery
Scope of Disease and Prevention
Eighty-five percent of our animal companions have dental disease. Daily teeth brushing, beginning as puppies or kittens can prevent disease and lengthen your pet's life by four to eight years.
Treatment and Dental X-ray
We provide dental exams, dental prophylaxis, and treatment of periodontal disease. Dental X-rays are critically important to assess dental health because 60% of each tooth is below the gumline. We often detect abscessed or fractured teeth with dental x-ray on an otherwise normal looking tooth To provide your pet the best care possible, we utilize Dexis Digital Dental Radiography®, an award winner in the human dental field.
The dental prophylaxis is a thorough cleaning of the teeth, including the area under the gumline. This procedure is done while your pet is under anesthesia and is performed by a Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT). A second CVT monitors anesthesia during the dental procedure. Dr. Amy Everly evaluates the overall oral health of the pet, evaluates radiographs, and performs extractions as needed.
Stages of Disease and Associated Treatment Plan
- Stage I Dental Disease patients have gingivitis (inflammation in the gums), plaque without tartar, no loose teeth, and no bone loss. At this stage, disease is reversible. This is treated with daily home brushing
- Stage II Dental Disease patients have gingivitis and tartar, there are pockets between the gingiva and tooth or gingival recession, and there is up to twenty five percent bone loss on at least one tooth. This is treated with dental prophylaxis, 1.2% flouride treatment of the crowns while intubated, ORAVET®
- Stage III Dental Disease patients have slight root exposure, gingival recession, mobility of one or more teeth, and 25-50% bone loss. This is treated with dental prophylaxis, closed root planing of exposed roots and DOXIROBE® (a long acting antibiotic) that is placed in gingival pockets, and ORAVET®
- Stage IV Dental Disease Patients have a large amount of root exposure, significant tooth mobility, deep pockets and gingival recession, and greater than 50% loss of bone attachment. This is treated with ORAL SURGERY. In order to save teeth, at least temporarily, gingival flaps to expose the roots are created. Then the roots are cleaned with root planning and Doxirobe is applied to the roots and pockets. The flap is then sutured closed. It is critical to brush these teeth at least once daily. Most teeth cannot be saved at this stage and therefore ORAL SURGERY is done to remove these teeth. After removal, large teeth such as canines and carnassials leave a large space in the jaw bone. In order to stimulate bone regrowth into this area, CONSIL®, a synthetic bone graft, is applied in the space, as is DOXIROBE®. ORAVET® is applied as the final step.
- FRACTURED TEETH would be considered Stage IV Dental Disease. Some of these teeth must be extracted while others can be saved if the tooth has a root canal. We refer patients to a Board Certified Veterinary Dentist if clients are interested in a root canal.
- Feline Specific Disease: Cats develop a unique condition called a FORL (Feline Odontoclastic Resportive Lesion). A FORL develops when the cats' body attacks the tooth from the outside in and the inside out. This results in significant discomfort (that cats are pros at hiding) because the nerve supply becomes exposed. These teeth must be extracted to control the cats' pain. There is no known prevention for this condition.
