Dental Clinic
What to Expect
Fourways Veterinary Hospital has its own in-house dedicated Dental Clinic managed by qualified Veterinarians and clinical staff who have a passion for high quality and safe dental care. Our well-equipped Dental Clinic places a premium on providing safe anaesthetic protocols and optimal patient comfort including pain management. The Dental Clinic focuses on high quality, comprehensive dentistry including preventative care, advanced therapies and certain more specialised oro-dental procedures such as jaw fracture repair.
A Nurse or Veterinarian is always present to monitor the patient closely. In cases where there is an increased risk, we offer the services of a specialist anaesthetist to oversee the procedure and manage the anaesthetic.
The Importance of Dental Care For Your Pet
Dental disease is by far the most common, yet underappreciated disease that affects the medical and physical well-being of our pets. There is thus a great need for safe, high quality, advanced dental care as part of a holistic approach to the overall health and well-being of our pets.
It is important to realise that your pet will seldom let you know when he or she is experiencing dental pain and most pets will endure some level of dental disease and dental pain during their lives.
Unfortunately, other than bad breath, there are few signs of dental disease that are evident to pet owners. Diagnosis often comes too late to prevent extensive damage and loss of teeth. Periodontal disease, if left untreated, will lead to infected, non-viable teeth and significant dental pain.
How Does Our Dental Clinic Work?
Examination under anaesthesia:
Dental care begins with an examination under anaesthesia. During this procedure, it is possible to conduct a thorough exam by visualising the entire oral cavity and throat area, probing gingival pockets to assess the level of periodontal disease, and taking intra-oral dental X-rays. Quite often teeth may look completely normal but may be affected by serious sub gingival disease. These conditions could be a great source of chronic pain for your pet.
Dental Charts:
A dental chart is used to record the dental health of your pet as well as to document any procedures done during the dental. These will include ultrasonic and hand scaling to remove tartar and plaque, polishing, flushing to remove dislodged tartar, plaque, and bacteria from your pet’s mouth. In many cases, teeth affected by periodontal disease may require surgical extraction.
Oral surgery may be necessary for some of the following diseases:
- Gingival surgery – which includes tumour removal and removal of excess gum tissue that forms secondary to periodontal disease
- Surgical extractions of impacted, damaged or diseased teeth
Popular Questions
Got a question? We’re here to help.
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How much will my pet's dental cost?
This is variable and depends on the age of the animal as well as the extent of any disease present. You will receive a quote before any work is undertaken.
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Why does my pet need dental care?
As in humans, preventative care is needed to prevent development of pathology that leads to loss of teeth. Once pathology has developed the aim is to resolve disease, improve patient comfort and help prevent further loss of teeth.
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Will my pet still be able to eat properly after extractions?
Extractions have a minimal effect on a pet’s ability to eat. Resolving oral pain often leads to increased appetite and ease of eating.
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Are extractions really necessary?
Extractions are only carried out when pathology has become severe enough that a tooth is essentially lost. Extractions speed up recovery and in some cases, are done to prevent the development of diseases (for example - in cases of overcrowding).
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Is the dental procedure safe / how safe is a dental for my pet?
As dental anaesthetics are often quite long and the patients often elderly, a lot of attention is given to make the anaesthetic as safe as possible. A Nurse or Vet is always present to monitor the patient closely. In cases where the risk is increased, we do offer the services of a specialist anaesthetist to oversee the procedure.
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How often should my pet have a dental?
Your pet’s teeth should be checked at least once a year and a dental procedure will be scheduled if indicated.
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Can my pet get sick if I neglect dental care?
Chronic infection and inflammation in the mouth has a systemic effect on the animal. By creating a healthy oral environment, we not only alleviate chronic discomfort but also improve the general health of the pet.
