The 12 Step Dental Cleaning

1. History and Physical Exam
   A thorough history is important to help us determine if your pet is at more risk of certain dental problems. We also perform a complete physical examination and preoperative bloodwork to make sure that there are no physical limitations to performing safe anesthesia for the cleaning.
2. Initial Oral Survey
   A quick visual examination of the mouth is made once your pet is sedated to look for abnormal occlusion, ulcerations, swellings/masses, extra teeth, fractured, discolored, missing or mobile teeth as well as any other conditions that may be causing pain or problems in your pets mouth. Digital images are also taken at this time to record the amount of tartar and gingivitis and any abnormalities in the mouth.
3. Supragingival Cleaning
   Supragingival cleaning is removing the plaque and tartar on the surface of the tooth you can see. Although this is the most visible part of the mouth, it is generally only about 10% of the problem. This cleaning takes places using ultrasonic scalers for most of the tartar and hand scalers to clean harder to reach surfaces.
4. Subgingival Cleaning
   Subgingival cleaning involves using a special tip on the ultrasonic scaler to clean plaque and tartar that is hidden below the gumline. This is where 90% of the problem exists and why it is so important to perform a thorough cleaning. This part of a cleaning cannot be performed safely or adequately without general anesthesia.
5. Polishing
   Supra and subgingival cleaning leave small microscratches on the surface of the tooth as we remove plaque and tartar. These small scratches if not removed will lead to faster plaque and tartar build up in the future. Polishing removes these scratches from the teeth and leaves a smooth, clean surface.
6. Sulcus Lavage
   This step rinses debris and cleaning agents from under the gumline. If this step is not performed, it can take months for loose debris to work its way out from under the gumline and can be a source of irritation.
7. Fluoride and Sealant
   Fluoride helps to strengthen enamel and decrease tooth sensitivity. Oravet sealant helps to form a barrier on the tooth to prevent plaque and tartar from sticking easily to the tooth. The sealant placed after a dental cleaning lasts for about 3 weeks before it begins to break down. A home care product is available to continue to protect the teeth also.
8. Complete Dental Charting
   This is an invaluable step in the dental cleaning process. Once all the tooth surfaces have been cleaned, all teeth are reexamined for fractures, pockets under the gums, gum recession, loose or crowded teeth etc. At this time, all abnormalities are noted in the medical record so that a diagnostic or treatment plan can be made.
9. Radiographs
   An infected tooth is usually not swollen and may not have pus or pockets around it. And it can take 3-5 years for an infected tooth to become a loose tooth. Because we can’t always tell what’s going on below the gumline in a suspected problem area, radiographs are needed to help us determine if there is significant disease in the tooth or the structures surrounding the tooth. Reasons to perform radiographs include any loose teeth, fractured, discolored or crowded teeth, any teeth with pockets around them or areas where teeth are missing without a history of extraction. Radiographs are always performed before and after extracting a tooth. This is to ensure that we know all the factors before extraction and to be sure we removed all the roots.
10. Treatment Plan
    Once we have charted all potential problems and taken the appropriate radiographs, we have a complete picture of your pet’s dental health or problems and can then make thorough recommendations to you about what treatments your pet needs to improve or maintain oral health. Not all unhealthy teeth need to be extracted, ideally treatment to prevent extraction is preferable. You and your veterinarian will determine what options are available and best for your situation.
11. Home Care
    Your pet's oral health doesn’t stop with the dental cleaning. Maintaining the health of the mouth and your pet overall requires regular care at home and during follow-up visits. We will discuss the many homecare options that are available and find the products that will fit your lifestyle to promote continued oral health at home and reduce the need for in office cleanings as much as possible. 
12. Regular Rechecks
    We like to see all our dental cleaning patients back for a free recheck within 30 days after a cleaning. If treatments were performed, we will recheck those areas specifically to make sure proper healing has taken place. It also gives us an opportunity to help evaluate how your homecare is progressing and make any adjustments needed to help you follow thru as easily as possible. We always assess oral health at all subsequent examinations, including vaccine exams to follow your pet's progress and make recommendations for future cleanings before major problems arise.

<< Previous | Next >>