The Sitara Animal Hospital Dental Difference
Not all veterinary services are alike. At Sitara Animal Hospital we provide the highest level of care available for our patients. We are very proud of the advancements that have been made in veterinary dental care and anesthesia in recent years. We fully embrace these changes. We have invested in state-of-the-art equipment and continuing education for our doctor and technicians. We want our clients to understand the difference between the type of care that we offer and the other services that may be available at other hospitals.
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Most Veterinary Hospitals |
Sitara Animal Hospital |
| Step 1 | The pet is examined by a doctor and as long as no problems are seen visibly, the animal is deemed healthy enough for anesthesia. | After ensuring your pet is free from abnormalities on physical examination we will perform screening chemistries and a complete blood count to be sure that your pet’s kidneys, liver and other organs are functioning properly. After evaluating this information, the doctor may recommend a urinalysis, thyroid testing, etc. If any disease is present we want to catch it in the early stage in order to give your pet the best prognosis possible and to ensure that we address the problem before anesthetizing him. |
| Step 2 | The pet is anesthetized using a set protocol. One technician watches to be sure the pet continues breathing while he/she cleans the patient’s teeth. | The doctor customizes each pet’s anesthetic regimen with a combination of safe injectable medications and modern inhalant gas. We have developed our protocols based on the recommendations of a board certified anesthesiologist. If severe periodontal disease is present an antibiotic injection is given before the dental cleaning to prevent systemic infection. A technician monitors your pet’s blood pressure, respiration, heart rate, and temperature throughout the procedure. These parameters are monitored so that the doctor and technician may watch for any negative trends. All pets undergoing dental care receive fluid therapy by intravenous catheter during anesthesia to maintain vascular volume, hydration, and blood pressure. |
| Step 3 | The tartar is scraped away by hand and with some type of scaling machine by a technician. The teeth are polished using a buffing paste. |
1. Supragingival Cleaning: The doctor cleans the teeth above the gum-line using a hand scaler and follows with an ultrasonic scaler.
2. Subgingival Cleaning: The doctor changes to more delicate handpieces called curettes to clean below the gum-line of each tooth. This is the most important step because the subgingival plaque and calculus is what causes periodontal disease. 3. Subgingival/Sulcal Lavage: We gently flush the gingiva with an antibacterial solution to prevent debris from becoming trapped under the gums which can cause local inflammation, as well as increase the chance of future periodontal disease. 4. Polishing: The doctor polishes every surface of every tooth – especially below the gum-line. The smooth surface will decrease the adhesive ability of plaque. |
| Step 4 | If no teeth were extracted, the pet’s owner is informed that there were no problems and the pet is sent home. | The doctor calls the owner to recommend any further treatments that may be needed. Radiographs are normally recommended in all cats and in any dog with broken, loose, or abnormal teeth. |
| Step 5 | The technician lets the doctor know if any teeth are loose. Loose teeth are extracted by the doctor and it is assumed that all roots have been removed. The gums are left open. If no loose teeth are seen, the technician wakes the pet from anesthesia and documents a dental cleaning in the medical record. | The doctor looks at the pet’s entire mouth looking for any disease or masses. The doctor uses a periodontal probe to measure the periodontal sulcal depth around each tooth to search for abnormal pockets caused by gum disease. Each tooth is also evaluated for fracture, discoloration, gum recession and movement. Every abnormality is recorded on a special dental chart of your pet’s mouth. |
| Step 6 | Any extractions, sealants, gingival surgery, etc that has been recommended will be performed. The pet is given an injection of an anti-inflammatory and a local anesthetic is injected in to the area around the teeth to prevent pain where teeth are extracted. All extraction sites are radiographed to be sure that the entire root(s) have been removed. The gingiva is sutured closed over the extraction site to speed healing and prevent infection. | |
| Step 7 | Your pet is continuously monitored all day by the staff at Sitara Animal Hospital. Your pet’s vitals are recorded and any negative trends are immediately reported to the doctor. Pain medication is given if any painful procedures were performed. |
Ultimately, it is always the owner’s decision to choose the level of care for their pet. We will always be advocates for the health, comfort and well being of your pet. It is our responsibility to offer the tests and procedures that will keep your pet healthy and free from disease. It is not unusual to discover problems as your pet ages. This is a natural part of the life process. When problems are detected early, they can usually be effectively managed. We want to provide the recommendations that will help you pet live a long and happy life. If you have specific questions, please don’t hesitate to ask any person on our staff.