Dentistry

A dental cleaning, also called a dental prophylaxis, involves a complete oral evaluation under general anesthesia. The dental prophylaxis removes plaque (bacteria) and the hard calculus on your pet’s teeth. Your dentist recommends routine visits to prevent tooth and gum loss. Our pets can suffer from the same periodontal disease as early as three years of age and benefit from regular prophylaxis visits to save your pet’s smile.

Once your pet has had a complete physical exam, our doctors will design a treatment plan and anesthesia protocol tailored to your pet’s needs. We always put safety first, so pre-operative bloodwork is highly recommended for all patients and required for pets six years of age or older or any pet requiring dental extractions. Our highly experienced team provides continual anesthetic monitoring with advanced equipment for your peace of mind.

Our veterinarians perform an oral examination paying close attention to any subtle changes, damage to your pet’s teeth, and screen for oral cancer. Your pet’s “dental cleaning” or prophylaxis, includes ultrasonic scaling above and below the gum line with special instruments designed specifically to fight infection, as well as remove plaque and calculus safely and gently. All surfaces are polished to create a smooth shine and remove stain from the enamel.

All procedures are followed by a “tour of the mouth” at the time of patient dismissal. This is a dedicated time to highlight areas of gum disease that may need extra attention with a toothbrush, discussion of home care tools to help decrease bacteria and plaque in the mouth, and give tips on how to take care or your pet’s oral and overall health.