CERTIFIED ORAL PAIN FREE #45-Obstacles in Oral Surgery-Removing the OUCH!

Donald H DeForge, VMD
Fellow of the Academy of Veterinary Dentistry
Advanced Veterinary Dentistry

www.SilverSandsVeterinary.com
AnimalDentistrySolutions.blogspot.com
SilverSandsVeterinary.blogspot.com

P-203-877-3221 and 1-800-838-3368
Fax-203-877-8301
E-Mail DonDeForge100@gmail.com~ Web Log #45

CERTIFIED ORAL PAIN FREE

Obstacles in Oral Surgery
Removing the OUCH!

Oral Surgery is indicated for many reasons in the companions we love. This surgery results in a pain-free quality of life!

Below is a list of common reasons for Oral Surgery in Dogs and Cats:

#1] Fractured Teeth

#2] Hopeless teeth affected by long term Periodontal Disease

#3] TRRR-Tooth Resorption and Root Resorption in Cats

#4]  Advanced Cavities in dogs where root canal and restorative dentistry are not         
       possible

#5] The treatment of the painful cat Stomatitis patient-[See Blog #41]

#6]  Non-Vital tooth extraction if root canal therapy is not possible

#7]  Cyst and Mass Removal

#8]  Oral Trauma Repair

#9]  Oral Oncology Diagnostics and Treatment

#10] Oronasal and Oroantral Fistula Repair

#11] Removal of Deciduous-Primary Teeth~~Trauma Care or Interceptive Orthodontia

#12]  A malocclusion resulting in pain or poor quality of life

#13]  Enamel Hypocalcification: when endodontics with restorative dentistry 
         are not possible

#14]  Complications in Gingival Hyperplasia from advanced Periodontal Disease

#15]  Impacted and Embedded teeth: A tooth which has fully formed but has broken through the gum into the mouth is either impacted or embedded – they are also known as un-erupted teeth. Instead or erupting through the gum tissue into their correct partition they remain under the surface of either the gum or bone.

Impacted teeth occur where one tooth is prevented from erupting due to being wedged up against a neighboring tooth. It is always necessary to extract impacted teeth to prevent further problems.

If a tooth is not breaking through the gum because of being under bone it is classed as being embedded. In the majority of the cases where the tooth is being blocked by the gum it may lack the force necessary to break through the gum.

A bony impaction is when a tooth is impacted entirely within bone and a soft-tissue impaction is when the tooth has broken through the bony cortex and is also partly or entirely covered by the gums.

Certifed Oral Pain Free~

How to Avoid the OUCH in Oral Surgery!

A]  Be proactive....examine your dog or cat's mouth frequently

B]  Observe for pain when looking into the mouth; redness of the gums; bleeding of          gums; masses in the mouth; broken teeth....call your Local Doctor of Veterinary          Medicine [LDVM] for a check-up if any of the above are noted!

C]  After pre-anesthesia evaluation ask your doctor to take DENTAL X-RAYS prior to 
      any treatment of the mouth

D]  If your LDVM is uncertain of how to treat the problem have them consult with  
      an animal dentist

E]  Animal Dentists perform Comprehensive Oral Radiology Evaluation with 
     Treatment [CORET}.  Their training and expertise is an important adjunct as a                consultant to your LDVM

F]  The lower jaw [i.e. mandible] is the area where inadvertent fractures can occur 
      during extractions in the front of the mouth or in the molar area in the back of
      the pet's mouth.  Animal dentists, using oral surgery principles, can treat the 
      oral surgery problem while avoiding the encumbrance of an inadvertent jaw 
      fracture.

G]  Many pets need Guided Bone Regeneration-at the extraction site- to preserve the
      alveolar ridge and strengthen the jaw.

H]  Some patients can avoid major extractions with Root Canal Therapy by an animal        dentist!  Root Canal Therapy, if applicable, is considered standard of care and in          many cases is less expensive than a major oral surgery with tooth extraction.

I]   Any oral treatment without the back of dental x-ray can lead to problems.  Dental 
     x-ray allows a diagnosis to be made.  In many instances dental x-ray
     must be complemented with histopathology [sending oral tissues to a laboratory]       for a definitive diagnosis.

J]  Ask your LDVM for a referral to an animal dentist if dental x-ray is not available
     in their hospital or the extraction or major oral surgery is a difficult procedure  
     that needs referral.

Conclusions:
The advancements in companion animal oral care continue to bring a pain-free
quality of life to the pets we love.  

A Certified Oral Pain Free condition should be available to all companions.  

Animal dentists help minimize oral pain and completely remove the "OUCH" in oral care by understanding and recognizing possible oral complications [before they occur]! 

Initiating appropriate treatment methodology based on knowledge and experience is the key to pain-free care.

Questions about this blog?
Write to DonDeForge100@gmail.com
Dental X-rays for Evaluation: Contact E-VetDiagnostics.com
A Telemedicine Radiology Service