Our hospital offers routine dentistry services. At your pet's wellness examination, oral evaluation may indicate the need for a dental prophylaxis (teeth cleaning). Routine veterinary dentistry involves a full oral examination, dental radiographs when indicated, prophylaxis, and polishing of all the teeth.
Dental prophylaxis is performed with your pet under general anesthesia. It involves cleaning the surface of each tooth and scaling below the gum-line, where food, bacteria, and tartar build up. To ensure the safety of your pet, pre-operative blood work will be performed prior to the anesthesia.
During a dental procedure, your veterinarian evaluates your pet's teeth for fractures, caries (cavities), excessive wear, and other abnormalities. Your veterinarian will also examine around the gums to detect periodontal disease.
Sometimes teeth need to be pulled (extracted) due to the severity of periodontal disease. Dental x-rays, if available, aid in selection of teeth to be pulled and aid in evaluation of periodontal and other oral diseases. If your pet is found to have more advanced dental or periodontal disease, your veterinarian may recommend referral to a board-certified veterinary dentist for more specialized procedures.
