Specialty Dentistry and Oral Surgery
80% of dogs and 70% of cats over the age of two have periodontal disease.
Research done at Kansas State University Medical School has shown a relationship between periodontal disease and heart, liver and kidney disease in dogs.
A National Companion Animal Study of 39,566 dogs and 13,924 cats showed that periodontal disease was by far the most commonly diagnosed disease in all age categories of both species.
Honey is a female, young adult American Eskimo (Spitz). Periodontal probes are used to check the depth of pockets formed by bacterial action on the oral tissue. Bleeding was produced by gentle probing above.
An x-ray of the area showed that periodontal disease was responsible for destroying a large portion of the bone surrounding
the roots of the first and second molars.
Treatment involved extraction of the second molar which was severely mobile and beyond saving. A gum flap was created to expose the area of the affected bone surrounding the first molar. Advanced periodontal surgery and bone grafting would be required to save this tooth
Extensive cleaning and root treatments were done. Placement of a synthetic bone glass particulate (bioactive glass) was then done to encourage bone to re-grow in the defect and promote the synthesis of the attachment apparatus (periodontal ligament).
This x-ray demonstrates the area after bioactive glass placement.
Six months following surgery, Honey has retained this important tooth and has a very healthy mouth. Honey has her teeth cleaned in the hospital every 4-6 months to prevent this and other areas from the ravages of periodontal disease.
This x-ray taken at the time of the above picture shows new bone approximating a normal level.
