Dentistry

The goal of dentistry at Jefferson Road Animal Hospital is to ensure for your pet a healthy mouth free from disease, infection or pain.  Oral health increases your pet's well being, adds to his/her longevity, and helps make him/her more pleasant to be around.

The teeth of our pets are not all that different from our own.  Similar to ourselves, when our pets eat, food particles, bacteria, and salvia adheres to their teeth to form plaque.  If not removed, plaque becomes a hard, yellow to brownish gray substance called calculus that we will discuss more about below.   People brush their teeth after meals to remove plaque.  Our pets also benefit from daily dental care at home to prevent calculus formation.  Even with daily dental care some calculus forms and needs to be mechanically removed by a veterinary professional.  If not removed, calculus above and below the gum line begins to produce infection, form abscesses, and destroy the peridontium, which are the structures that keep teeth in their proper place.  This damage is painful to our pets.  In advanced cases animals with a separate debilitating disease, the bacteria from the calculus can cause infections in the heart, kidneys or liver.  In severe cases, jaw fractures, nasal discharge, or facial swelling can occur.

 

Signs of Oral Disease

q       Calculus

q       Pyorrhea (pus)

q       Bad Breath

q       Drooling

q       Loss of appetite

q       Dropping food

q       Red gums

q       Sneezing

q       Swelling on face

q       Lack of interest in chew toys

We currently offer a wide variety of dental procedures for your pet.  Routine dental procedures are performed under general anesthesia Monday-Friday between 8AM and Noon and do require an appointment.   Please call our front office at 457-5521 to schedule your appointment. 

Oral/Dental Exam:  Performed as a part of any thorough exam, the oral exam evaluates tooth position, cleanliness, jaw alignment and disease, as well as disorders of the gums and tongue.  Some conditions of the mouth alert us to potentially serious metabolic diseases such as kidney or liver disease, diabetes or blood disorders. 

Dental Cleaning/Prophylaxis:  Performed under general anesthesia, the dental prophy includes further examination of the mouth and teeth, marking on a dental chart any missing or loose teeth, noting areas of gum disease, and locating areas of abnormality in the mouth or oral cavity. The dental explorer is used to find tartar buildup under the gumline and pockets of bone loss from periodontal disease.

Next the calculus and plaque is removed from the surfaces of the teeth and under the gumline with an ultra-sonic tip.  Polishing is performed on every tooth surface with a slow speed polisher and mild pumice.  This delays the additional accumulation of calculus on the clean teeth by removing rough spots that collect debris.  The last step is the application of fluoride that reduces sensitivity of the teeth, strengthens the teeth and has antibacterial properties.  Antibiotics may be prescribed if there have been extractions or if  areas of infection were detected.

For an additional cost, we now also offer the OraVet Plaque Prevention System  This system includes two steps: 

Step one: After the flouride treatment in the dental cleaning process we will apply OraVet Barrier Sealant.  Bacteria start attaching to teeth just minutes after a dental cleaning, OraVet Barrier Sealant creates an invisible barrier that prevents plaque- and tartar-forming bacteria from attaching. It's just that simple.

Step two: We send you home with a an eight week supply of the OraVet Plaque Prevention Gel.  Starting two weeks after your pet's dental cleaning, apply OraVet Plaque Prevention Gel once a week to maintain the barrier your veterinarian established. OraVet Plaque Prevention Gel makes it simple for you to care for your pet's teeth at home it's the easy weekly alternative to daily brushing.  It takes less than 60 seconds to do. Just spread the gel along your pet's gum line using the applicator supplied. 

Dental X-rays:  Dental x-rays are often needed to accurately evaluate a pet's teeth.  We have the ability to take these X-Rays when necessary. 

Extractions:  A diseased tooth results in infection, pain, and serious systemic disease for your pet.  If repair of the tooth is not possible or desired, extraction will bring relief.

 If you have questions about oral health, please do not hesitate to ask! Healthy mouths result in happy pets and owners.

   

After

Routine scaling and polishing removes the tartar and calculus buildup and a flouride treatment will help decrease the growth of bacteria.

Click here to download a copy of our Periodontal Disease Treatment Brochure which includes cost estimates and
Frequently Asked Questions.