Dental Care

Bad teeth hurt, and the plaque and bacteria in a neglected mouth can also affect the heart, kidneys, and liver. We clean, check, and treat teeth to keep your pet comfortable.

Call (951) 407-0227

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First Shots
From 6 to 8 Weeks

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Yearly Checkup
At Least Once a Year

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Dental Care
Below the Gum Line

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Surgery
Including TPLO

What We Look For

A common problem is gum disease: plaque and tartar build up, the gums get infected, and teeth loosen and fall out.

We also look for:

Broken Teeth
Abscesses at the Root
Teeth That Don't Line Up
Growths in the Mouth

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What Happens at a Dental Visit

A lot of dental disease is below the gum line, in the roots and bone. We can't see it while your pet is awake, so the full exam happens under anesthesia, with X-rays.

A Quick Look First Before the procedure we check the teeth and gums for obvious pain, infection, or lumps. It helps us plan.
Anesthesia Safety We make sure your pet is healthy enough for anesthesia, choose the drugs and pain control for them, and monitor them the whole time.
A Full Exam With your pet asleep, we check every tooth, the gums, and the rest of the mouth.
Dental X-Rays Digital X-rays show the roots and bone, where cracks, abscesses, resorbing roots, and bone loss hide.
Cleaning and Polishing We scale off plaque and tartar above and below the gum line, then polish. Fluoride or a sealant, when it makes sense, slows new plaque.
Extractions If Needed When a tooth meets the criteria below, taking it out is often the best way to end the pain and infection. Often we can't decide that until we see the X-rays.
Going Home You get instructions for pain medicine, food, and cleaning, and a recheck date if your pet needs one.

When a Tooth Needs to Come Out

In any of these cases, pulling the tooth is often the best way to end the pain, stop the infection, and protect the teeth next to it. For advanced cases we may refer you to a veterinary dental specialist.