Dental Services

The doctors and staff of Metairie Small Animal Hospital understand the importance of maintaining the oral and dental health of your pets. Complete oral health greatly increases your pet's well being, adds to their longevity and creates a happier life for pets and their owners. We continue to place great emphasis on complete dental care, both preventative and corrective, to help ensure that your pet remains happy and healthy.

Oral-Dental Exam

This is performed as part of all Physical Exams. The oral exam evaluates tooth position, cleanliness, jaw alignment, detection of disease and disorders of the gums and tongue. Some conditions of the mouth alert us to potentially serious metabolic diseases such as kidney or liver diseases, diabetes or blood disorders.

Dental Cleaning/Prophylaxis

This procedure is performed under general anesthesia. The dental prophy includes further examination of the mouth and teeth, marking on a dental chart any missing or loose teeth, noting areas of gum disease and areas of abnormality in the mouth or oral cavity. The tartar and plaque are removed from the surfaces of the teeth with an ultrasonic scaler. Polishing is performed on every tooth surface with a slow speed polisher and mild pumice. This delays the additional accumulation of plaque and tartar on the clean teeth. The last step is the application of fluoride which reduces sensitivity of the teeth and strengthens them. Antibiotics may be prescribed if there have been extractions or if infection is noted.

Extractions

A diseased tooth results in infection and pain for your pet. If repair of the tooth is not possible or desired, extraction will bring relief.

Dental Radiology

To better evaluate the condition of your pet's teeth and mouth we are equipped with a state of the art dental radiology unit. This unit allows us to thoroughly examine areas of the teeth and mouth that can not be visualized during the oral-dental exam. If a problem should arise within the root of a particular tooth or the bones associated with the jaw, this radiology unit can help us identify the problem and expedite its correction.

If you have any questions about oral health, please do not hesitate to ask. Healthy mouths result in happy pets and owners!