Pet Periodontal Therapy
At Veterinary Dental Specialists of Wisconsin, we are experts in diagnosing and treating dental disease. Periodontal disease (PD) is the most prevalent disease in cats and dogs.
By three years old most dogs and cats have evidence of periodontal disease, an infection caused by bacteria in the tissues surrounding and supporting the teeth. The most prevalent sign of PD is bad breath.
Periodontal disease is a painful infection that, if left untreated, will progress to bone loss, mobile teeth, and eventually tooth loss. PD can lead to larger, more severe issues, such as jaw fracture due to bone loss and bone infection.
Diagnosing and Treating of Periodontal Disease
The proper diagnosis and treatment of periodontal disease for your pet will alleviate oral pain that often goes unnoticed and dramatically improves their quality of life.
Periodontal disease is not always apparent during an initial consultation because it mainly occurs under the gum line. A complete exam is conducted under general anesthesia to evaluate each tooth for periodontal disease and the tissues that surround it.
Generally, this is determined by probing, charting, and radiographs. Without these diagnosis tools, these painful problems will remain undetected.
Treatment of PD may involve:
- The reduction of overgrown gums
- Surgical exposure of roots
- Meticulous cleaning of all root surfaces to allow healing to take place
- Placement of graft material to help replace missing bone.
