CANINE/FELINE DENTAL CARE
A dental cleaning, also sometimes called a "prophy" or prophylaxis, is a thorough cleaning, polishing, and examination of a dog or cat's teeth. This must be done under anesthesia to be done correctly.
Pet dental care is important for several reasons:
A dental cleaning, also sometimes called a "prophy" or prophylaxis, is a thorough cleaning, polishing, and examination of a dog or cat's teeth. This must be done under anesthesia to be done correctly.
Pet dental care is important for several reasons:
- Gum infections can cause your pet pain and discomfort.
- Gum and tooth infections can lead to infections/inflammation elsewhere in the body (heart, kidney, liver, etc).
- Halitosis (bad breath) can make your pet unpleasant to be around.
- Addressing problems early can save your pet discomfort and can save you money in the long run.
- A blood sample will be drawn from your pet for analysis to identify any potential problems that the doctor needs to be aware of and to determine if your pet is healthy enough to undergo anesthesia.
- Your pet is anesthetized. This is often what worries most pet owners, however under proper protocols anesthesia is very safe. We will use the safest anesthetics for your pet and monitor their vital signs with advanced veterinary monitoring equipment. The doctor will always be present during the procedure.
- Intravenous fluids (through a catheter in your pet's leg) are always provided. This improves safety, recovery, and comfort.
- A full cleaning under the gum-line where periodontal disease lurks. It would be impossible to clean this area on an awake dog or cat, but this is where periodontal disease begins with bacteria "living" below the gum tissue.
- Scaling and polishing of the crown, or visible part of your dog or cat's teeth. A veterinary cleaning does require scaling or scraping the tooth to remove plaque and calculus. Scaling is completed to remove plaque and tartar build-up on the tooth crown.
- A complete oral exam is performed by the doctor. Radiographs (x-rays) are taken if indicated, to identify any problems beneath the gum-line. Common painful problems that could be identified with radiographs are broken teeth and roots, periodontal disease, dead teeth, abscesses or infected teeth. We recommend dental x-rays with every cleaning.
- Last, the teeth are polished leaving a completely smooth surface of the tooth which discourages plaque and bacteria from adhering to the rough tooth surface. Then a fluoride foam is applied to the teeth.
Advanced Procedures
Clindoral:
- A healthy tooth has a gingiva (gum) that is closely adhered and provides protection against bacteria
- For teeth that have deep pockets (space between the tooth and the gumline) bacteria have a safe haven to live in the mouth. Those bacteria cause progressive dental disease, gingiva and bone loss, and dental abscess.
- If the tooth is healthy other than this pocket, we can perform a deep cleaning, root planing, and apply an antibiotic gel (Clindoral) into the pocket. This keeps bacteria out of the area and allows the gingiva to heal back to the tooth.
- The goal of this procedure is to save the tooth while preventing worsening of dental disease. This tooth should be monitored closely with annual dental cleanings.
Bonded Sealant:
- When a tooth is cracked the outer enamel can no longer protect it from the outside world, and the softer dentin material is exposed. If the root is not exposed as well, then we can apply a bonded sealant to the dentin which acts as protective armor.
- This can also protect teeth with the enamel hypoplasia condition, where enamel was not formed correctly during juvenile development.
- These teeth should be closely monitored with annual dental cleanings.
Protective Sealant:
- For pets who do not tolerate brushing, a protective sealant called Sanos can be applied at the end of the dental procedure. This adds a protective coating to the teeth which prevents bacteria from attaching for 6 months. Talk to one of our veterinarians to determine if this product is right for your pet.
Extractions:
- Unfortunately, some teeth cannot be saved. We perform local blocks which numb the area prior to extraction and keep your pet comfortable after they wake up from anesthesia.
- Our staff has undergone specific dental training. We have the ability to perform surgical flaps and advanced extractions. For certain extractions a referral to a veterinary dentist (specialist) may be required for the health of your pet. Please know we will recommend what is best for your pet.
- Following extractions, your pet should be fed soft food for 10-14 days.
- All suture material used is dissolvable so does not need to be removed.
- A healthy tooth has a gingiva (gum) that is closely adhered and provides protection against bacteria
- For teeth that have deep pockets (space between the tooth and the gumline) bacteria have a safe haven to live in the mouth. Those bacteria cause progressive dental disease, gingiva and bone loss, and dental abscess.
- If the tooth is healthy other than this pocket, we can perform a deep cleaning, root planing, and apply an antibiotic gel (Clindoral) into the pocket. This keeps bacteria out of the area and allows the gingiva to heal back to the tooth.
- The goal of this procedure is to save the tooth while preventing worsening of dental disease. This tooth should be monitored closely with annual dental cleanings.
Bonded Sealant:
- When a tooth is cracked the outer enamel can no longer protect it from the outside world, and the softer dentin material is exposed. If the root is not exposed as well, then we can apply a bonded sealant to the dentin which acts as protective armor.
- This can also protect teeth with the enamel hypoplasia condition, where enamel was not formed correctly during juvenile development.
- These teeth should be closely monitored with annual dental cleanings.
Protective Sealant:
- For pets who do not tolerate brushing, a protective sealant called Sanos can be applied at the end of the dental procedure. This adds a protective coating to the teeth which prevents bacteria from attaching for 6 months. Talk to one of our veterinarians to determine if this product is right for your pet.
Extractions:
- Unfortunately, some teeth cannot be saved. We perform local blocks which numb the area prior to extraction and keep your pet comfortable after they wake up from anesthesia.
- Our staff has undergone specific dental training. We have the ability to perform surgical flaps and advanced extractions. For certain extractions a referral to a veterinary dentist (specialist) may be required for the health of your pet. Please know we will recommend what is best for your pet.
- Following extractions, your pet should be fed soft food for 10-14 days.
- All suture material used is dissolvable so does not need to be removed.
Annual Dental Health Promotion!
We believe that regular dental cleanings will keep your pet's teeth and body healthy. With routine cleanings your pet is less likely to need extractions, will be under anesthesia for less time, and we can monitor any teeth on our "watchlist".
As such, we have created the ANNUAL DENTAL HEALTH PROMOTION to give you money back on your pet's dental cleaning.
If it has been less than 15 months since your pet's last dental cleaning with us, then you can get a $100 coupon off the dental cleaning with x-rays (or $50 if no x-rays performed).
As such, we have created the ANNUAL DENTAL HEALTH PROMOTION to give you money back on your pet's dental cleaning.
If it has been less than 15 months since your pet's last dental cleaning with us, then you can get a $100 coupon off the dental cleaning with x-rays (or $50 if no x-rays performed).
