When a dental cleaning, or comprehensive oral health treatment (COHAT) is performed, the pet is placed under general anesthesia to allow for a full radiographic or Cone Beam CT diagnostic evaluation. Some abnormalities that can be seen on X-rays or Cone Beam CT include tooth root abscesses, teeth fractured below the gumline, and non-vital (dead) teeth that may be causing pain or discomfort in a pet’s mouth.
Once that is complete the veterinarian will do a full anesthetized oral exam to check for periodontal pockets, loose teeth, oral masses, and any other abnormalities that may be difficult to see on an awake oral exam.
After comparing the oral exam to the diagnostic images, the veterinarian will call and discuss treatment options while a Registered Veterinary Technician is ultrasonically scaling the teeth above and below the gumline. This is done simultaneously to minimize the time your pet is under anesthesia.
Once the teeth are clean, the technician will then polish each tooth surface and dry out the mouth to ensure all debris from the cleaning is removed. Polishing will smooth the tooth surface and make it less likely for plaque to reform on the crown and below the gumline. The veterinarian will then perform any necessary treatments discussed with the pet owner to complete the COHAT.
