Dentistry
Dental disease is one of the most common diseases in our pet dogs and cats. It is estimated by the American Veterinary Dental Society that 80% of dogs and 70% of cats show signs of dental disease by the age of 3! Dental care is critical to maintain good overall health in our pets. Please visit with one of our veterinarians to ensure your pet receives appropriate preventative and treatment measures.
What is Dental Disease?
Dental disease begins with the accumulation of bacteria, food debris, and saliva along the tooth-gum margin, leading to plaque formation. Once plaque on the tooth surface thickens and mineralizes, tartar is formed. If this is left untreated, inflammation and infection of the tissues supporting the tooth can occur. Eventually, painful and red gums, bad breath, tooth loss, and damage to other organs (kidneys, liver, and heart) can occur.
Preventative Dental Care
Many pets will not show signs of early dental disease, making routine annual or bi-annual exams very important. Our veterinarians and support staff can suggest options that may be appropriate for at home dental care. Brushing your pet’s teeth (with toothpaste specifically designed for dogs and cats) can help prevent plaque and tartar formation. Specially formulated diets (that help prevent plaque build- up) as well as a variety of chews/treats are available that may be appropriate for your pet.
Our Dental Services
Dental care at Timpanogos Animal Hospital begins with routine annual exams to evaluate your pet’s overall dental health.
Pre-anesthetic Lab work: Because pets must be under anesthesia to clean their teeth, pre-anesthetic lab work is recommended. This allows us to determine if your pet’s liver and kidney function is appropriate for anesthesia.
Dental cleaning/polishing: With your pet under general anesthesia, ultrasonic cleaning equipment is used to remove tartar and plaque from above and under the gum margin. This procedure is necessary to thoroughly remove tartar build-up from the teeth. Once the teeth are clean we are able to polish them to help prevent further plaque formation.
Extractions: Removal of a tooth may be necessary for a variety of reasons (broken teeth, advanced disease of the tissues supporting the tooth, tooth root abscesses, cervical neck lesions of cat teeth, etc). Further examination of your pet’s teeth under anesthesia and dental x-rays will help our veterinarians determine if a tooth must be extracted.
Dental X-Rays: We are very excited to have digital dental x-rays available. Dental x-rays are necessary to diagnose disease of the tissues below the gum margin and evaluate the complete health of a tooth. Dental x-rays are an important part of your pet’s medical record and may also be used in treatment decisions, confirmation of complete removal of a tooth’s roots, and to evaluate areas of missing teeth.
Dental Report Cards: With each dental procedure that is completed, you will receive pre and post photographs of your pet’s teeth and copies of dental x-rays.
Other procedures including root canals, bonding/sealant application, application of antibiotic preparations, and further orthodontic/endodontic requirements are available as necessary.
Pre and post dental cleaning and extraction photographs of a canine patient.
Examples of dental x-rays. These demonstrate how important x-rays are to evaluate the part of the tooth and the supportive tissues that are below the gum margin.
