At Wasatch Hollow Animal Hospital, we provide a range of comprehensive veterinary dental services, including:
- Dental Prophylaxis (Cleaning)
- Full-mouth Dental X-rays
- Restorative Dentistry With Bonded Sealants
- Tooth Extraction When Necessary
What to Know About Anesthesia-Free Dental
Anesthesia-Free Dental Procedures
Many pet owners have heard of anesthesia-free dental cleanings, please take some time to learn more about this topic and our stance on the practice.
Our own teeth are scaled by a dentist or hygienist – we sit in the chair and open our mouth when requested, letting the professional do their work. While the principles of good oral hygiene and dental health are the same for dogs and cats as for people, there are some significant differences. We understand why the procedure is important, and we typically do not need sedation or restraint. Neither is true for our pets. Another important difference between human and veterinary dental practice is that we tell the dentist when there is discomfort; to ensure that nothing is missed in dogs or cats, our patients require a thorough oral examination as part of a dental scaling procedure. Your veterinary dentist may recommend dental radiographs.
A professional dental cleaning includes scaling and other steps described below:
Every professional dental cleaning starts with a review of the patient’s general health and any previous dental history. For a thorough, safe dental cleaning in veterinary patients, anesthesia is essential, as this permits a comprehensive assessment of the tissues, allows dental radiographs to be made when indicated, followed by the cleaning (scaling and polishing procedure) itself.
So-called “anesthesia-free dental scaling” is NOT recommended by Veterinary Dental Specialties & Oral Surgery or the AVDC.
Learn more about the risks of anesthesia-free dental procedures and what is involved in a proper veterinary dental cleaning at the American Veterinary Dental College.
Restorative Dentistry and Bonded Sealant for Fractured Teeth
Dental fractures are very common in our pets. Those fractured teeth with pulp (nerve exposure) are called complicated crown fractures and either root canal or tooth extraction are indicated for treatment.
If the nerve is not exposed, it is called “uncomplicated crown fractures”. In these cases, the underlying structure called dentine is exposed resulting in pain, and bacterial infection. In addition, the tooth surface is rougher than normal enhancing bacteria attachment and establishment of periodontal disease. We recommend using layers of bonded dental sealants and composites to smooth and fill in the fracture site.
If you would like to know how we perform a routine dental cleaning on our patients watch the video below. This is Oreo getting sparkling clean teeth.
Dental Radiology
We perform full-mouth digital dental x-rays in all Comprehensive Oral Health Evaluation and Treatments. Because we can only see one third of the tooth from outside, we need dental radiographs to evaluate other 2 thirds and the internal anatomy of the teeth, the roots and the bone that surrounds the roots.
