Veterinary Dental Referral Service

Cedric Tutt BVSc (hons), MMedVet (Med) (Bov), MRCVS

Periodontics - treatment of gingivitis and periodontitis

Periodontic Therapy

• Oral health is evaluated during a thorough oral examination and charting. Dental conditions are recorded and treatment plannning decisions are made.

Probing tooth during examination
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• Intra-oral radiography (x-ray films taken using dental film) is performed as an additional diagnostic test to confirm clinical problems and provide further information that will assist the clinician in treatment planning. For instance, some conditions may not be evident during the oral examination and require dental x-ray films to be taken to make a diagnosis.
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• Prophylactic periodontal therapy includes either sonic and or ultrasonic and hand scaling where calculus (the hard deposits found on teeth) is mechanically removed. Following this procedure the teeth are polished using a mildly abrasive paste resulting in a smooth surface to which plaque is less likely to attach.

Hand Scaling

Hand Scaling

Ultrasonic scaling to remove calculus

Ultrasonic scaling

Polishing a tooth using a mildly abrasive paste gives a smooth surface, reducing plaque accumulation.

Polishing

Professional dental prophylaxis

This procedure is often called “scale and polish”, which sounds fairly straightforward. When we attend our dentist’s surgery for this procedure we are told to sit back and keep our mouths open and the dentist’s assistant ensures that we don’t swallow anything that we shouldn’t. In the case of our pets this doesn’t work and so your vet will need to anaesthetise them. After an initial anaesthetic procedure a tube is placed into the trachea (“wind pipe”) through which gas anaesthetic is administered to the pet. An inflatable cuff at the end of the tube ensures that the anaesthetic gas is delivered properly and that the lungs are protected from antiseptics, flushing water and debris. Some vets also use a “throat pack” to further protect the airways from debris. Once the pet is stable under anaesthetic the procedure is carried out. This procedure can take from about 20 minutes in mildly affected pets to more than an hour in severely affected animals.

Plaque

Plaque is a film of protein and food debris that develops on tooth surfaces and oral soft tissues including the gums and lips. This layer becomes colonised by bacterial that produce toxins that are detrimental to our pets.

Plaque causes Gingivitis as shown on a cat

Dental calculus

Minerals (salts like calcium) become deposited on the plaque, which becomes hard. This hard substance known as calculus or tartar adheres firmly to the tooth surface and cannot be brushed off. The surface of calculus is rough and this accumulates more plaque and so the vicious cycle continues. Although calculus itself does not cause the gums to become inflamed the bacterial products from associated plaque will. Calculus can only be removed safely from the teeth using dental instruments.

Moderate Calculus	Severe Calculus