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Professional Dental Cleaning, Polishing, and Thorough Examination

Oral health is extremely important to your pet’s quality of life. Diseases of the teeth, gums, and bone are common and most are treatable with a very positive result. Oral procedures are performed under general anesthesia including routine cleaning and polishing of the teeth. We want you to be well informed about all the steps in the process.

In preparation for a procedure, dogs and cats generally should be fasted overnight, but ferrets and other small mammals are only fasted the morning of the procedure (just pick up the food and water in the morning).

It is extremely important that we have a phone number so we can contact you at any point during the procedure as we may encounter periodontal disease that requires additional attention and your permission is needed prior to treatment.

The morning of the procedure, you will meet with the anesthesia nurse to review what is to be done, how you can be contacted, and answer any questions you have. To them, guiding your pet through the procedure to a successful conclusion is their single most important task.

Once your pet has been admitted to the hospital, any remaining pre-anesthetic testing is done (bloodwork and EKG) and an intravenous catheter is placed. The doctor reviews any test results and rehearses what will happen with the anesthesia nurse. Good preparation is a must.

Once we are ready to begin, the following steps are performed for all dental procedures:

1. Another complete examination is performed prior to the procedure.

2. The patient is anesthetised and examination of the mouth and teeth is performed under anesthesia. The number, stage, and severity of problems involving the teeth, gums, and surrounding bone cannot be accurately assessed and properly addressed without a thorough examination under anesthesia.

3. Tartar (calculus), debris, and pus are cleaned away from the teeth and out of the gingival sulcus using specialized hand instruments and a high frequency ultrasonic cleaner with a periodontal tip. Tartar is very hard and nearly impossible to remove without proper instruments. The amount of time spent on this task varies depending on the grade of tartar and gingivitis. The higher the grade, the more time we have to spend cleaning below the gum line. In cases of deep periodontal pocket, abscess formation, or root exposure (Grades IV and V) we may have to spend two to four times as long cleaning than we do for a Grade II.

4. Hand instruments are used to clean any difficult areas and to explore the periodontal space. The gingival sulcus is measured with a periodontal probe.

5. We examine each tooth, noting any abnormality on the patient’s dental chart.

6. Dental radiographs (x-rays) are taken of teeth suspected to have a periodontal pocket, apical abscess, resorptive lesion, loosening, or fracture.

7. All procedures are followed by a thorough polishing with a high speed polisher to smooth the enamel surface and thereby help prevent future tartar formation.

8. Thorough irrigation.

9. Specific therapies such as gingivoplasty, Doxirobe Gel implantation, mass excision, or tooth extraction are performed.

10. We frequently use combinations of pain medications such as narcotics, non-steroid anti-inflammatories, and local blocks. In cases of severe infection, or discomfort associated with infection, we may use injectable and/or oral antibiotics before, during, and after a procedure.

11. Application of a Fluoride Treatment and the sealant OraVet if indicated.

12. Patient recovery and monitoring.

13. Discharge and home care instructions. Post operatively home care and plaque control is essential.

14. Follow up therapy. All oral surgery patients are seen again at 1 week post operatively to examine the surgery sites and evaluate patient status. Depending on the severity of disease, repeat cleaning and polishing is scheduled at 3, 4, 6, or 12 months. The sooner we follow up, the better we are able to slow or prevent the progression of periodontal disease and bone loss. For many pets, 6 months is too late. If we wait longer, the infection will cause more damage.

Our goal is to have a routine cleaning and polishing. In more severe cases, this can take some time, perhaps many follow up cleanings and rechecks.

Veterinary care for dogs and cats began at Research Pet and Bird Hospital in 1976, located on the 183 corridor in Austin, Texas. The original building is the area we now call the front office (the lobby, pharmacy, exam rooms, and doctor's office). In 1980 the treatment area was added, followed by the addition of the treatment kennel in 1985 to allow pet boarding. A major expansion ensued in 1990 when additional land was purchased and the administrative offices, lab, and a new boarding facility for cats, dogs, and birds was built.

The hospital has continued to grow and is now recognized as one of the top veterinary hospitals in the Austin area. In addition to dogs, cats, and ferrets; our doctors are well known for their knowledge of avian and exotic medicine as well as orthopedic surgery. Our hospital receives many referrals each month from local veterinarians because of this expertise. In July of 2010, the doctors of Millwood Veterinary Clinic joined our staff.

We continue to utilize state of the art equipment and become skilled in the latest and most successful medical procedures in order to maintain the high standard of medical care you have come to expect for your pets. Dental care, ultrasound, xrays, endoscopy, wellness testing, diagnosis and treatments for sick pets, and routine check ups for all pets are available.