Dental disease is the most common disease in dogs and cats in the United States.  More than 80% of pets over the age of 3 have periodontal disease.  Numerous recent studies confirm a strong relationship between the presence of dental disease and poor health.  Inflammatory proteins, toxins and infectious agents found in periodontal tissues cause damage to key organs like kidney, liver, heart and brain, just like they do in people.  Dental disease is a painful condition and is measured in grades one through four, four being the most severe.  Left untreated, many pets suffer silently and age prematurely.  When aggressively diagnosed and treated, dental patients respond with increased vigor and a sense of well being that owners recognize and appreciate. 

    Riverview Animal Hospital recognizes that dental problems and disease occur in all life stages.  Early efforts in recognition and treatment of dental disease prevent further degenerative changes and pain. Our hospital performs dentals on pets almost daily, and the following are some of the most commonly seen problems.

Dental Calculus
    Over time, many dogs and cats teeth build up calculus and gingivitis which can lead to dental disease. Depending on the severity, Riverview Animal Hospital can do a routine cleaning and leave your dog or cat's teeth like new again! Done regularly, this can drastically improve your pet's overall health and increase your pet's lifespan!  Below is a before and after of a grade 3 dental cleaning in a dog.

Here is a before and after of a grade 2 dental cleaning in a cat.

Fractured teeth

    Sometimes a tooth can crack or fracture from trauma or wearing from old age. At Riverview if the tooth can be saved, we use a bonded sealant to cover the area and save the tooth. Below is a dog's tooth before and after the bonded sealant treatment.

Retained Deciduous Teeth   
    Sometimes, when a puppy's adult teeth are coming in, those pesky puppy teeth just won't budge! At Riverview Animal Hospital our staff check your puppy's teeth every time they come in for shots, and note if the teeth are coming in normally. If the puppy tooth/teeth have not fallen out by the time the puppy is around 5 - 6 months old we extract it when they are spayed or neutered. Below is an example of the most commonly seen type, a retained deciduous canine tooth, before and after the extraction.

F.O.R.L.'s (Feline Oral Resporptive Lesions)   
    The definition of this problem is a loss of bone or resorption of the root substance of the tooth. It can occur in dogs but we mainly see it in cats. We are not sure why it occurs but the problem can range from mild to severe and results in the total extraction of the affected tooth. Typically, when we find a F.O.R.L. in a cats mouth, we x-ray most of the other teeth to make sure there are no other F.O.R.L's developing that the naked eye can't see. Below is an example of a moderate cat F.O.R.L. and the post extraction site.