Dental Care
213 Hwy 281 South – Unit C
Johnson City, TX 78636
(830) 225-1095
Why is Dental Care Important for Your Pet?
Did you know that dental problems can cause other health problems for your pet? Just like humans, pets benefit greatly from regular dental cleanings. Imagine how your teeth and mouth would feel if you never had a cleaning at your dentist. Regular dental care not only helps your pet maintain great overall health but also helps you save money in the long run. By proactively preventing disease, you avoid costly treatment for serious issues like tooth extractions, gum disease, and more.
At Johnson City Veterinary Clinic, your pet’s dental health is a top priority of ours.
Does Your Pet Have Bad Breath?
Bad breath in pets is not normal! Bad breath in pets is often caused by a buildup of bacteria on their teeth, causing plaque and tartar. By keeping up with routine dental check-ups and cleanings, we can significantly reduce this buildup, targeting the source of the odor.
Dental Services Offered at Johnson City Veterinary Clinic
Your pet’s smile is priceless. And so is their health. Our veterinarians provide a range of dental care to keep your pet’s teeth and gums healthy.
Dental Exams
During your pet’s wellness exam, we visually examine your pet’s mouth for signs of dental issues like gum disease, loose teeth, or infections. If problems exist, we will discuss the best next steps for dental care for your pet.
Professional Dental Treatment
For our professional dental cleanings and exams, we require your pet to be under general anesthesia.
- General anesthesia is required to fully evaluate your pet’s oral health and to obtain full-mouth dental radiographs so that we can visualize, clean, and treat any existing dental disease, both above and below the gum line. We are highly experienced in pet anesthesia and use only the safest anesthetic protocols, including IV fluids and monitoring equipment. Your pet’s anesthesia will be individualized to their specific needs and your pet will be fully monitored throughout the entire dental process.
- Once your pet is anesthetized, we will perform a comprehensive exam of your pet’s mouth, gums, and teeth. We utilize digital dental diagnostic X-rays to visualize under your pet’s gum line and identify any disease we cannot see with our eyes, such as tooth root abscesses or to evaluate the severity of bone loss around roots (periodontal disease). Digital dental X-ray technology is an advanced imaging technique used in veterinary dentistry to capture detailed X-ray images of an animal’s teeth, gums, and surrounding bone structures. Instead of traditional film X-rays, digital dental radiography uses electronic sensors to produce high-resolution images instantly on a computer screen.
- We will perform a thorough professional teeth cleaning and polishing using advanced dental equipment, making your pet’s teeth more resistant to plaque retention; it is difficult for plaque to adhere to a smooth tooth surface. After polishing, we will rinse your dog’s teeth and mouth thoroughly and apply a fluoride treatment, as is done in human dentistry.
- After cleaning, we will assess for bone loss, using a probe around each tooth to find pockets of periodontal disease. An abnormal probing depth indicates that periodontal disease is likely present. Additional treatment may be necessary.
- If there is any change to the treatment plan provided to you prior to the dental procedure because additional issues were discovered during the procedure, we will call you to discuss and obtain your authorization for the additional treatment and its corresponding cost.
Advanced Veterinary Dental Care
We’re equipped to handle more serious issues, like tooth extractions, oral surgery, tumor removal or dental conditions that require advanced diagnostic and treatment services.
Dogs and cats need regular professional dental exams and cleanings. Many people are surprised to find out that dogs and cats have dental and oral problems similar to what we experience, and require many of the same types of dental treatments we do. In fact, just like in humans, your pet’s oral health is a key component to their overall general health and happiness. Your pet may have dental issues that are causing them oral pain or health problems.
If your pet has not had a recent dental examination, please give us a call today to schedule an appointment.