Procedure for animal dental treatment in our practice
Introduction
In our veterinary practice we attach particular importance to the dental health of your animals. Our comprehensive dental treatments are specifically designed to offer the best possible care to older and particularly sensitive patients. Our focus is on gentle and stress-free anesthesia management in order to make the treatment as pleasant as possible.
Thorough examination and diagnosis
General examination
Before any dental treatment, we carry out a thorough general examination. This examination gives us an initial overview of your animal's general health and any existing dental problems.
Anesthesia and teeth cleaning
An accurate diagnosis of the teeth is only possible under general anesthesia. Therefore, we start with a thorough teeth cleaning and disinfection of the oral cavity. This allows us to closely examine the crowns of the teeth and probe the gum pockets.
X-ray diagnostics
Since around 60% of the tooth is hidden in the jawbone, X-ray diagnostics are essential. Using the x-rays, we can make precise statements about the condition of the teeth and jaw.
Treatment planning and implementation
Creation of a treatment plan
After evaluating all findings, we create a detailed treatment plan. This will be discussed with you before the actual treatment begins. You will also receive a cost estimate based on the binding fee schedule for veterinarians.
Carrying out dental treatment
Dental treatment involves different steps depending on the diagnosis. This can include simple dental cleanings to complex surgical procedures. All measures are carried out under strict supervision to ensure the well-being of your animal.
Aftercare and recovery phase
recovery station
After the treatment, your animal will be taken to our recovery unit, where it will wake up from the anesthesia under careful observation. If longer monitoring is not necessary, you can usually bring your animal home the same day.
Aftercare and care instructions
We will provide you with detailed care instructions to support healing and prevent future dental problems. Regular check-ups and professional dental cleanings in our practice help maintain your pet’s dental health in the long term.
Frequently asked questions about dental treatment
Is dental treatment possible without anesthesia?
No, a complete examination and treatment of the oral cavity is not possible while awake. The necessary X-rays can only be carried out under anesthesia.
How much does dental treatment cost?
The cost of dental treatment is made up of various factors, including anesthesia, diagnostics and the actual treatment. The exact costs vary depending on the effort and will be explained transparently to you in advance.
Can my pet have a toothache even though he is eating normally?
Yes, many animals continue to eat despite a toothache because eating is essential for survival. Signs such as chewing on one side or shyness in the head can be indications of toothache.
How often should professional teeth cleaning be carried out?
The frequency of professional teeth cleaning depends on various factors, such as breed, diet and home dental care. As a rule, we recommend regular check-ups to determine your animal's individual needs.
Our specific treatments in detail:
Tooth preservation
Dental preservation is not about removing teeth, but rather preserving them through conservative measures. If a tooth is broken and the pulp (the “nerve”) is exposed, that tooth needs treatment. A broken tooth always leads to inflammation in the root tip area. The extent of this inflammation varies depending on the animal's immune defenses, which are influenced by factors such as age and infection pressure. There is always a risk that an expanding root tip process will develop into a jaw abscess. To save the tooth, root canal treatment is essential. The pulp is removed, the canal is tightly closed with a root filling material and sealed with a durable plastic filling.
Treating an exposed pulp quickly can even attempt to preserve the vitality of the tooth. Even chipping a tooth without opening the pulp can cause problems and trigger a jaw process. An X-ray examination is therefore advisable. All of these measures are aimed at eliminating painful acute lesions and preventing chronic damage that would mean a long period of suffering and high levels of suffering for the animal.
Periodontology
The goal of periodontics is to maintain the health of the periodontium, which consists of gums, periodontal fibers, root cementum and jawbone. Periodontal changes are the most common diseases in dogs and cats and usually begin at the age of 2-3 years. By the age of 6, 4 out of 5 dogs have advanced periodontal changes that can lead to serious health problems such as liver, kidney and heart disease. The main cause of this damage is dental plaque, which contains bacteria.
These bacteria loosen the tight bond between the tooth and gums and penetrate deeper layers of tissue. Over time, they cause irreversible damage that can significantly affect the animal's general well-being. The extent of these impairments often only becomes clear after the treatment, when the dog is playful again like a puppy or the cat is much cuddly again.
Without appropriate periodontal treatment and thorough oral hygiene, periodontitis cannot be stopped. For effective periodontal treatment, each tooth must be clinically examined and often dentally x-rayed to identify the exact damage and determine the necessary therapy.
Special treatment methods such as scaling, root planing, curettage and guided tissue regeneration, performed with specialized periodontal instruments, are required to achieve lasting improvement in the animal's periodontal health.
prophylaxis
In addition to veterinary dental treatment, the commitment of owners of dogs and cats is also crucial. Only through the combination of home teeth cleaning by the owners and regular mouth check-ups by the veterinarian can a lasting improvement in the animal's oral health be achieved.
A large part of the consultation is dedicated to introducing effective oral hygiene. Daily brushing of your teeth with a delicious chicken or fish toothpaste and a suitable animal toothbrush plays a central role. These measures not only contribute to dental health, but also strengthen the bond between owner and animal.
prosthetics
If a tooth is so badly damaged that it can no longer be permanently treated with a filling, prosthetic measures are necessary. This also includes the creation of a dental crown made of metal, plastic or ceramic, which restores the shape and function of the tooth.
Due to the high loads to which the relatively long teeth are exposed, special requirements must be placed on the preparation of the tooth stump by the veterinarian and the design of the crown by the dental technician. Using suitable preparation techniques and aids, safeguards against tensile and rotational forces are integrated into the crown to ensure sufficient resilience.
Orthodontics
Orthodontics deals with the correction of misaligned teeth and jaw size imbalances. Misaligned canine teeth in particular often require therapy. The long teeth can cause injuries to the palate or opposing teeth, which can manifest themselves in chronic inflammation. In extreme cases, the palate can even be perforated into the nasal cavity, which can result in aspiration of food particles into the lungs.
A frontal crossbite can also lead to premature loss of teeth due to incorrect loading of the teeth. In many cases it is possible to avoid consequential damage and achieve physiological interlocking through orthodontic treatment.
Dental surgery
Dental surgery includes tooth extractions, apicectomy and operations on the soft tissues of the oral cavity. Tooth extractions are a large part of veterinary dentistry, as unfortunately many teeth can no longer be saved due to advanced damage.
In dogs, it is less carious lesions than periodontal damage and complicated tooth fractures that make extraction necessary. Every second middle-aged cat has extremely painful FORL (feline odontoclastic resorptive lesions). Here, tooth substance in the root area is dissolved by activated body cells. The tooth pulp (the “nerve”) remains vital for a long time, which explains the pain.
FORL can often only be recognized on dental x-rays, as the disease begins in the root area and only leads to involvement of the crown in the final stages. Damaged teeth must be removed to eliminate pain; Progression of the disease can be prevented through accompanying drug therapy.
Root tip resections are carried out in combination with root canal treatment of the affected tooth. They are necessary when endodontic treatment alone is not sufficient to cause a root tip process to regress.
Soft tissue operations such as the removal of gingival growths, the relocation of unfavorably inserted lip frenums or the covering of oronasal fistulas are other important tasks in dental surgery.
Jaw surgery
Dramatic fractures of the upper and lower jaw often occur in accidents. Due to the close interlocking, even small deviations quickly lead to the jaws no longer being able to close properly. The muscle pull can also cause the ends of the fracture to gape apart. Teeth are usually involved and also need to be treated.
In contrast to humans, jaw fractures in dogs and cats can rarely be treated efficiently using plate osteosynthesis alone due to their different anatomy. Instead, combinations of cerclage techniques, plastic splinting or splinting and, if necessary, osteosynthesis plates are often used.
Oral cavity tumors
The oral cavity is the fourth most common site for the development of malignant tumors. Due to the poor visibility, these tumors are usually only noticed very late, so that large parts of the jaw have already been involved in the disease process at the time of presentation.
A good and early diagnosis before tumor surgery is the basis for successful therapy, as it allows the necessary extent of the operation to be estimated. Tumor treatment is therefore planned after cytological and histopathological examination.
Due to the close proximity of important structures in the head area, timely intervention is crucial. If complete surgical removal of the tumor is no longer possible, combination therapies (e.g. surgery and immunotherapy) should be considered.
Rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas
Just like dogs and cats, dental disease is one of the main reasons why rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas need treatment. Sharp edges often form on the grinding surfaces of the teeth, which can bite into the tongue or cheek and thus reduce food intake. Due to the resulting reduced wear on the constantly growing teeth, they become longer and also grow in the opposite direction.
In the upper jaw, this can lead to obstruction of the nasolacrimal canal and watery eyes; in the lower jaw, this can lead to swelling in the root area. This can cause excessive salivation. When a pus-filled abscess forms, the situation becomes much more complicated. Therefore, if there is incorrect or missing wear on the teeth or if the teeth are misaligned, immediate action must be taken to avoid serious long-term consequences.
Clipping teeth with pliers often causes them to splinter. Therefore, if more than just a thin tooth edge needs to be removed, grinding under anesthesia should be preferred. As part of a thorough examination and possibly the taking of dental x-rays, a targeted correction can be made under anesthesia. If a tooth is the cause of an abscess, it usually has to be removed and the abscess healed with medication.
Summary of Animal Dental Treatment
Animal dental treatment in our practice places particular emphasis on gentle anesthesia management, especially for older animals. A thorough general examination forms the basis of every animal dental treatment. The exact diagnosis is carried out under general anesthesia, including dental cleaning and x-rays.
After evaluating the findings, we will create a detailed treatment plan for animal dental treatment and discuss it with you. Your pet will be continuously monitored during pet dental treatment.
After the animal dental treatment, your animal will go to the recovery station. Regular aftercare and professional teeth cleanings contribute to long-term dental health. The costs of animal dental treatment vary depending on the effort and are explained transparently.
Animal dental treatment without anesthesia is not possible. Signs such as one-sided chewing or head shyness may indicate the need for pet dental treatment. The frequency of professional teeth cleaning depends on individual factors. Contact us for more information or to schedule an appointment for pet dental treatment.
The animal dental treatment in our practice aims to ensure the best possible care for your animal. Careful pet dental treatment can significantly improve your pet's well-being and quality of life.
Dental diseases are one of the most common health problems in these animals. Regular pet dental treatment is crucial to detect sharp edges on the teeth that can impale the tongue or cheek and interfere with food intake. Such problems require immediate pet dental treatment to prevent teeth from growing in unwanted directions.
In the upper jaw, timely animal dental treatment can prevent the teeth from blocking the nasolacrimal duct and causing watery eyes. Animal dental treatment can also prevent swelling in the lower jaw area caused by uncontrolled tooth growth. If a tooth is broken, animal dental treatment is required to prevent splinters and to carry out targeted correction under anesthesia.
An abscess also requires animal dental treatment, which involves removing the affected tooth and treating the abscess with medication. Overall, regular pet dental care is essential to ensure the oral health of these animals and avoid serious health problems.
A thorough examination and, if necessary, dental x-rays are part of comprehensive animal dental treatment in order to effectively treat misaligned teeth and other dental diseases. Early and regular animal dental treatment can significantly improve the animals' well-being and quality of life.