Dog & Cat Dental Services

This is what every dental procedure starts with and should be performed on every cat and dog at least on an annual basis to ensure good oral health. Every patient receives full mouth dental x-rays, a full oral exam including probing and charting, ultrasonic scaling above and below the gumline and polishing of every tooth. This information is then used to develop a treatment plan to address any oral health abnormalities and this plan is relayed to the owner before any additional treatments are done.

One of the most common oral surgery procedures we perform is tooth extraction. Tooth extraction is performed when there is little to no hope that a tooth can be restored or saved. This could be due to fracture, trauma, periodontal disease, tooth resorption, cysts, cancer, stomatitis or malocclusion.

Unfortunately, cats and dogs can get oral cancer just like people. Sometimes these tumors can be difficult to remove and can even require removing part of the jaw (mandibulectomy or maxillectomy). This is one service we can provide on a case-by-case basis.

If a tooth is damaged without exposure to the pulp cavity and is stable on dental x-ray, a bonded sealant can be applied to prevent future infection and painful sensitivity. If there is significant enamel damage or defects, these teeth can be restored closer to their normal shape with composite as well.

Some teeth may have significant bone loss (periodontal disease) but in such a way that the tooth roots can be cleaned (root planning) and a bone grafting medium placed to attempt to regrow bone and save the tooth.

Gingival hyperplasia is a condition where the gingiva (gum tissue) overgrows and covers the tooth.  This condition can lead to significant dental disease if not addressed.  Some breeds, such as Boxers, are very prone to this condition and require annual resection of the abnormal tissue.  Some medications can cause this condition as well.

Stomatitis means “inflammation of the mouth” and this inflammation can become very severe. Both cats and dogs can develop this very painful condition that significantly impacts the quality of their life. These cases must be treated property to ensure the best possible outcome and unfortunately often involve full or near full mouth extractions.

Animals can be born with poorly aligned teeth just like people, and sometimes these malocclusions can cause pain and a non-functional bite. Sometimes teeth have to be extracted to achieve a pain-free, functional bite but orthodontic devices can be used to try and shift teeth to save as many teeth as possible.

Unerupted teeth can cause large cysts (dentigerous) to form in the jaw and radicular cysts can form from normally erupted teeth. These cysts must be properly removed to ensure they do not continue to expand and cause more bone destruction.

Some animals, just like some people, are born with a defect in their hard and soft palate. When the animal is old enough, these defects can be closed to provide the animal with a better quality of life and less risk of serious infection.