Dental Services

Many pets present to the Clinic where dental extractions due to advanced periodontal disease are the only treatment option. There is no doubt that chronic gum disease affects general health and can ultimately shorten life due to organ damage.

At your pet's annual wellness examination the teeth will be examined and gum health graded with a dental scale and polish recommended if indicated. With some pets, this may be infrequent but with some small breed dogs and cats, it may be required at least every one to two years to maintain oral health.

The most common condition of all is gum disease with gradual loss of attachment of the tooth root to the gum. This progressive condition is particularly common in small breed dogs. As the condition progresses bone around the root will also be lost. The degree of disease can not be fully assessed without dental probing under anaesthesia. Dental x-rays assessing bone loss can help make the decision about the need for tooth extraction. Pets with extensive periodontal disease should have a full set of dental x-rays.

Ultrasonic cleaning of the visible dental enamel and also under the gum is the treatment of choice. This is followed by dental polishing as with people.

Cats often develop "holes" in their teeth above and below the gum line. The cause of this frustrating condition is still largely unknown. It is however painful and all affected teeth should be extracted. Though cats hide pain well the positive changes in behaviour and appetite we see after extractions speak volumes for not ignoring these lesions.
Because these lesions are often easily missed on an oral exam it is recommended to do full mouth x-rays on cats having a dental procedure so these are not missed during this time.

A very common finding in pets. Most often seen in the canine teeth of cats after a fight or a fall from a height. In dogs, it is often a slab fracture of molar teeth from eating bones or other hard materials.
Fractured teeth with an exposed root pulp will eventually develop painful root abscesses. Fractured teeth may have roots remaining unseen under the gum that can cause persistent discomfort. Dental X-rays can help the vet evaluate further.

Extraction of painful teeth affected with severe disease or fractures is often required.
This is more complex and time consuming than you might assume. To remove many teeth completely and safely a surgical gum flap may be required with some removal of overlying bone. Teeth are often divided into individual roots with a high speed drill for removal. Suturing to close the flap with fine dissolving sutures and local anaesthetic will finish the procedure. Pain relief medication will be given.

Prevention rather than extraction is always best

With over half the teeth hidden from view dental X-rays are considered essential in human dentistry and now also in veterinary dentistry

Xrays allow us to see the internal structures of the teeth, the teeth roots and surrounding bone. Unfortunately disease below the gum line is common in pets and without xrays can remain an untreated source of discomfort. This means we can now make decisions without guess work and provide higher standards of care.

Unfortunately, almost immediately after an excellent professional cleaning the process of dental plaque and tartar formation restarts. Some form of home care is therefore required to try and maintain dental health especially in those at risk small dog breeds and cats.

As with ourselves, the gold standard is daily tooth brushing. For the right small dog, this is not as crazy as it sounds and our nurses would be happy to talk you through how you could gradually do this in a practical way. If you have a new puppy this would be a great thing to get them used to early.

Another simpler option can be to use a daily dental wipe.

The other most useful option is to use a product tested for effectiveness for dental cleaning benefits by the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC). The product will have this labeling on its packaging and we are happy to recommend a suitable product for your pet.

The large dental biscuit options can be particularly effective in cats

Sadly many of these guys are fed mostly on pellets and do not get enough course fibre in their diets to grind down their continuously growing teeth. This results in overgrown teeth or teeth with painful spurs. This often results in poor appetite and weight loss, facial abscesses, weepy eyes and a miserable life.

We have the special equipment required to treat these problems but feeding a diet higher in fibre is preferable. Finding a supply of green edible hay or even grazing grass on the lawn may help.