Anesthesia Free Dentals
At TSVC we do not support or recommend anesthesia free dentals. While we cannot explain the purpose of cleaning your pet’s teeth to him/her, it is impossible to expect your pet to fully cooperate while we attempt to perform this service. Imagine someone holds you down to attempt to clean your teeth and never mentions their intentions. This would be a terrifying experience for all involved. Additionally, a thorough oral examination is impossible in the awake patient. Anesthesia free dentals are an incomplete service, leading to a false sense of preventing dental disease. One of the most important aspects of the dental cleaning is removing tartar from below the gum line, and cleaning out the pockets, this is impossible to perform in the fully awake patient.
Traditional Dental Cleaning Under Anesthesia
For a traditional dental cleaning, your pet is placed under anesthesia. The use of anesthesia is generally very safe. Before administering any drugs we perform a blood profile that will allows us to access the function of your pet’s internal organs. A doctor will perform a physical examination. These two steps are performed to answer the question, “Is this animal healthy enough to undergo anesthesia?” Once your pet is anesthetized a technician trained in anesthesia monitors the animal’s pulse rate, respiratory rate, and temperature.
Conscious Sedation Dental Cleaning
Conscious sedation dentals are an alternative to tradition dental cleaning for some pets. These dental cleanings are performed under heavy sedation (“Twilight anesthesia”), instead of full anesthesia. Since we are not performing anesthesia a blood profile is usually not required (Unless the pet is over the age of 7 years). This service is only offered to pet’s who are estimated to be in Grade 0 – 1 periodontal disease. These periodontal grades are difficult to predict in the awake patient, and there is a chance some teeth will be found that are a grade higher. At this time anesthesia may need to be induced to properly clean and assess the affected tooth. The conscious sedation dental option is also not available for brachycephalic breeds (Pugs, Bulldogs, Persians, etc.), or sick animals.
