Dental disease is the most common cause of bad breath in our pets. While there are some diligent owners who are able to brush their pets’ teeth EVERY day, most of us are unable to achieve this feat. Even in humans who brush and floss daily, dental issues such as cavities and infection are very common; of course dental disease develops in our pets that don’t have daily care. This can range from mild dental disease (mild soft plaque build up) to SEVERE (extensively infected gums, oral bone, tooth roots) and everything in between. If you have concerns about your pet’s oral health call us for a consultation. We are able to assess your pet’s dental disease and make appropriate recommendations ranging from home care (i.e. brushing, dental treats, and/or dental food) to dental cleaning to cleaning and extractions based on disease severity.

In most cases we can make a fairly accurate estimate of what level of intervention your pet may need from an awake dental exam and are able to make an accurate cost estimate.

A “basic” cleaning is in reality not so basic. It involves full general anesthesia with intravenous catheter placement, intravenous fluid therapy support, and dedicated intensive anesthetic monitoring. Full mouth dental charting and probing assesses for hidden pockets of infection, gingival recession, enamel fractures and defects, tooth mobility, jawbone recession/loss. We also perform full mouth dental radiographs to assess for infection BENEATH the gumline (mainly in the form of tooth root abscesses). This is one of the reasons Gentle Dentals performed in pet food stores can be problematic; there are instances where the crown of the tooth looks healthy, but the tooth root is abscessed, or there is disease on the INSIDE of the tooth (facing the tongue) that cannot be seen. Further, the process of scaling the teeth awake can be painful for many dogs (especially those with fractured or abscessed teeth) and may lead them to be resistant to future oral exam.

Few would argue that infected teeth are NOT painful; most people have had cavities or toothaches and can commiserate. Our pets can’t tell us their mouth hurts, but based on our experiences we know it must. MOST pets will continue to eat even if they have extensive dental disease because the alternative is starvation. In most cases pets with infected teeth/gums swallow their food whole to avoid using the painful teeth, or choose to chew their food in the part of their mouth that is healthiest.

Dental extractions (tooth removal) are indicated when teeth are abscessed, fractured, loose, there is excessive tooth root exposure, the tooth is devitalized (dead), or there is a malocclusion issue causing issues in the mouth. Some fractured teeth, particularly critical teeth like the canines (fangs), can be candidates for root canal in order to preserve the tooth but fix the disease process; this is a referral procedure to a veterinary dental specialist. The method of extraction varies depending on which tooth needs removal and the extent of its disease. Multi-rooted molars in the back of the mouth require a gingival flap be surgically made; the tooth is divided by root with a high speed specialized dental drill, and the root is carefully loosened with patient elevation. Once all roots are out the area any infection is removed via curette and flushed with antiseptic. The gingiva is then sutured back in place with absorbable stitches. The process for single rooted teeth is similar, however extraction time and complexity also vary. Single rooted front incisor teeth are typically more straightforward than a lower canine tooth for example. What’s visible above the gumline with a fang/canine tooth is analogous to the tip of an iceberg; MUCH of the total tooth is beneath the gumline, firmly embedded in jawbone. Extraction of these teeth requires skill and patience so as not to fracture the jawbone. As such the surgical extraction time reflects this.

The cost of your pet’s dental procedure reflects all of the above. While we do our best to quote as accurately as possible in advance, there can be unanticipated disease requiring additional extractions that are only detected once the full anesthetized oral exam and dental radiographs are performed. We always do our best to communicate this with our clients, and its for this reason that we may need to reach you during the procedure with updates.