Twelve Steps of the Professional Teeth-Cleaning

 When your pet has a dental at Carson Valley Veterinary Hospital they will receive a
Twelve Step Professional Teeth-Cleaning.

1. Oral examination on the unanesthetized animal. Begin with the face. Check for swellings and painful areas. Look at the eyes, are they the same size? Is there swelling under one eye? Open and close the mouth to check for pain or crepitus in the temporomandibular joints. Examine the teeth and gingiva
2. Oral examination under general anesthesia. We examine individual teeth for mobility, fractures, malocclusion, and periodontal disease (probe for pocket depths after calculus is removed)
3. Supragingival (above the gumline) plaque and tartar removal using calculus removing forceps, hand instruments, and power scaling equipment. Supragingival deposits are removed from buccal, lingual, and interproximal surfaces of the teeth. (pictured below: before and after cleaning)
   
   
   
4. Subgingival (below the gumline) scaling, root planning, curettage. Curettes are used to remove subgingival deposits
5. Polishing smoothes out the defects and removes plaque missed during previous steps
6. Irrigation. With irrigation, diseased tissue and plaque are removed from the pocket or sulcus. Fluoride is used to decrease discomfort and harden enamel
7. Fluoride is placed on dry teeth and allowed to remain undisturbed for at least four minutes
8. Post cleaning examination and diagnostics. After cleaning, teeth are examined individually via periodontal probing and radiographs if necessary
9. Charting includes missing, loose, fractured, and discolored teeth, as well as feline oral resorptive lesions, periodontal pocket depths, gingival recession, and other significant lesions
10. Dental care performed Follow up recommendations Antibiotics dispensed When next radiographs are recommended
11. Home Detal Care Click Here 
12. Follow up Visits are as essential as any of the preceding steps. The time between oral exams is based on the degree of disease and the client's ability to provide home care. Some severe periodontal cases are rechecked monthly, while pets that have been treated for grade one gingivitis, and their teeth brushed once or twice daily, can be checked every six months.