What Procedures Do Veterinary DentistsTM Perform?

veterinary dentist procedures

What Procedures Do Veterinary DentistsTM Perform?

As specialists in Veterinary Dentistry and Oral Surgery, we provide a variety of services and veterinary dentist procedures, some of which are not within the scope of practice of veterinary general practitioners. 

In veterinary medicine, general practitioners perform routine dentistry procedures every single day, such as dental x-rays, scaling and polishing, and dental extractions. The comfort level and expertise of general practitioners in the field of veterinary dentistry varies greatly, but there are many veterinarians who are fantastic dentists within their scope of practice. 

Veterinary DentistsTM also perform routine procedures but are trained and proficient in a wide variety of other dental and oral procedures as well. Sometimes patients are referred to us for extractions if their veterinarian is not comfortable with the procedure or doesn’t have the correct equipment, or if it is a particularly difficult extraction or high anesthetic risk patient. 

Read on to learn more about the variety of veterinary dentist procedures performed, which can be broken into the following broad categories: 

Oral Surgery 

Oral surgery is the bread and butter of our practice. This includes dental extractions, surgery to remove oral cancers, jaw fracture repair, cleft palate repair and repair of oronasal fistulas (areas of communication between the nose and the mouth), among others. 

Periodontal Surgery 

Periodontal surgery encompasses several procedures aimed at repairing and regenerating the tissues of the periodontium, which are the tissues that hold the teeth in the mouth, such as the periodontal ligament and supporting bone. These procedures can include gingival (gum) grafts and bone grafting, as well as procedures to remove overgrowth of the gum tissue (known as gingivectomy). 

Endodontic Procedures 

The term “endodontic” (from Greek endo- “inside” and odont- “tooth”) refers to the treatment of diseases involving the inside of the tooth – the blood and nerve supply known as the pulp cavity. The most common endodontic procedure performed in veterinary dentistry is root canal treatment. During this procedure, the soft tissue within the tooth is removed and replaced with sealant material. In people, root canal treatment is often necessary due to caries (also known as cavities) which progress to the point of pulp exposure. In dogs and cats, root canal treatment is most often needed after a tooth is fractured. Another type of endodontic treatment that can be performed is vital pulp treatment, which aims to keep the tooth alive. 

Restorative Procedures 

Restorative procedures (often called fillings) are a common dentistry procedure in humans, usually for caries (cavities). Caries do occur in dogs (but not cats!) and when they do, Veterinary DentistsTM treat them the same way, with composite restoration. Sometimes restoration procedures are also needed for other reasons, such as defects in the enamel (hard outer surface of the tooth). 

Prosthodontic Procedures 

The term “prosthodontic” comes from the Greek words for “replacement” and “teeth.” This field focuses on making prosthetics (i.e., replacing) broken or damaged teeth. In human medicine, this field includes dental implants, which are not available in pets (see our recent blog on this topic). In veterinary dentistry, prosthodontics largely focuses on replacement crowns. Crowns are typically made from a metal alloy, which is thin and strong, but porcelain fused to metal crowns is also available. 

Orthodontic Procedures 

Orthodontic procedures aim to move teeth. Veterinary DentistsTM do not perform orthodontic procedures for cosmetic purposes but often do orthodontic procedures to correct painful or dysfunctional bites. A common malocclusion in dogs is when one or both lower canine teeth are tipped towards the tongue, causing them to poke into the hard palate, which is painful and can cause damage to the underlying bone over time. This is often referred to as “linguoverted mandibular canines”. Veterinary DentistsTM can perform orthodontic procedures to correct this and other malocclusions to give the dog a comfortable and functional mouth. 

Animal Dental Care & Oral Surgery Fort Collins for all Your Pet’s Dental Needs

At Animal Dental Care & Oral Surgery in Fort Collins, we specialize in these veterinary dentist procedures to give your pet the best care possible. If you have any questions or concerns about your pet’s oral health, contact us today to schedule an appointment.

Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (10/25/2024) Image by huoadg5888 from Pixabay