Transcript Applied Dentistry for the Veterinary Technician

Veterinary Dentistry
Chapter 34, pg. 1297-1354
Objectives
 Recognize a patient’s dental health status
 Perform techniques, as prescribed by a veterinarian,
to promote and maintain dental health
*Perform routine dental prophylaxis
*Understand client education regarding home care
Why is Veterinary Dentistry Important?
 Increasing number of canines and felines presenting
with oral disease by age 5. (American Veterinary
Dental Society)
 Companion animals are living longer
 Dental disease can lead to:



Anorexia
Chronic pain syndromes  Demeanor changes
Organ disease
Why is it exciting?!
Ethical and Legal Aspects
 The level of dental care that a veterinary technician may
provide varies from state to state.
 The American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC) considers it
appropriate for the veterinarian to delegate maintenance
dental care and certain dental tasks to vet techs.
Dental Tasks for Veterinary Technicians
 Oral examination and charting
 Taking and developing dental radiographs
 Professional dental cleaning “Dental prophylaxis”
 Taking impressions and making models
 Performing nonsurgical, subgingival root planning
 Client education
*Procedures performed by veterinary technicians
must not result in alterations in the shape,
structure, or positional location of teeth in the
dental arch.
Veterinary Dental Organizations
 Opportunities for advanced training in dentistry:
 NAVTA responsible for governing and overseeing
Veterinary Technician Specialists (VTS).

Anesthesia, emergency and critical care, internal medicine,
dentistry, behavior, zoo, etc
 Academy of Veterinary Dental Technicians
(AVDT) credentials LVTs as specialists in
dentistry


Requires 3000 hours experience then…secure a mentor,
maintain case logs, write case reports, pass a specialty
exam, and attend extra CE courses.
See www.avdt.us for further info.
Normal Dentition
&
Dental Anatomy
Tooth Classification
 Brachyodont teeth: small crown with long, well-
developed roots; teeth do not continue to grow or
erupt throughout animal’s life.

Ex: humans, carnivores, pigs
 Diphyodonts have two sets of teeth: deciduous,
then permanent.
 Hypsodont teeth: long crown height and continue
to erupt for most the animal’s lifetime.

Ex: horses, rodents, and lagomorphs
Horse: Brachyodont or Hypsodont?
Rat: Brachyodont or Hypsodont?
Dog: Brachyodont or Hypsodont?
Oral Anatomy
 Upper teeth embedded in maxilla (upper arch).
 Lower teeth anchored in mandible (lower arch).
 Front, upper teeth are called incisors and are
housed in the premaxilla (a.k.a. incisive bone).
 Maxilla houses the upper canine teeth,
premolars and molars (cheek teeth).
 Palatine bone comprises most of the hard palate.
Dental Morphology
 Incisors: in front of the mouth and
are used for gnawing and grooming.
 Canine Teeth: long and used for
grasping and tearing
• Premolars and Molars:
are used for shearing and
grinding.
Maxillary Arcade
R
Mandibular Arcade
R
Dentition
 Mammals show great variety in dentition (numbers
and types of teeth).
 Dental formulas are used to classify the normal
dentitions of different animal species.
Normal Dentition of Dogs and Cats
 Puppies have 28 deciduous (primary / milk) teeth.
 Eruption occurs between 3 to 6 weeks of age
 Canine and incisors first; no molars
 Dogs have 42 permanent teeth.
 Eruption occurs between 3 to 5 months
 Kittens have 26 deciduous teeth.
 Eruption occurs at about 3 to 6 weeks
 Cats have 30 permanent teeth.
 Eruption occurs about 3 to 6 months.
Normal Dentition of the Dog and Cat
42
30
upper
ICPM
lower
ICPM
Tooth Morphology (Outer)
 Crown = part of the tooth that is visible
in the mouth above the gum line.
 Shiny enamel covers the crown of the tooth.



Hardest substance in the body.
Prevents tooth from being invaded by bacteria and
acids.
If destroyed, will not regrow.
 The root is the tooth structure below
the gum line and is covered by cementum.
 The tip of the root is the apex of the tooth.
Tooth Morphology (Inner)
 Dentin is the substance that composes the bulk of
the tooth.


Harder than bone but not as hard as enamel.
Lies under the enamel and cementum.
 Pulp cavity is located within the central core of the
tooth and contains pulp.



Pulp is composed of blood vessels, nerves, and connective
tissue and produces dentin.
Pulp chamber is the portion of the pulp cavity located in the
crown.
Root canal is the portion located beneath the gum line.
Covers the crown
Very hard bone that makes
up the majority of tooth.
Above the
gum line.
Chamber
Root canal
Within the dentin, made up
of nerves, blood vessels,
and connective tissue
Gingiva
Covers the root
Below the
gum line.
Shock absorbing
lining; attaches
tooth to the
bony socket.
Bony socket
Tooth Anatomy
Triadan System
 Refers to teeth using a numeric system
 100 series: Right maxillary quadrant
 200 series: Left maxillary quadrant
 300 series: Left mandibular quadrant
 400 series: Right mandibular quadrant
 Each tooth has its own predictable number
 Start with the most rostral tooth and move caudal
 If tooth is not present, skip that number
Triadan System- Canine
M
P
The mandibular first molar.
The X’s indicate the cervical (gingival) area of the tooth.
Area between roots of
multi-rooted teeth
Triadan System-Feline
Tip: Canines always end in 4; the first molar always ends in 9
History and Extraoral Examination
 Dental procedures require general anesthesia
 Obtain a proper history
 Ask about general medical info, medications, nutrition/treats,
toys
 Extraoral exam
 Palpate muscles of the face
 Retropulse the eyelids



Look for symmetric depth and firmness
Look for ocular and nasal discharge
Palpate submandibular lymphnodes
Intraoral Examination
 The entire mouth should be evaluated:
1. Soft tissue

Mucosa- should be pink or pigmented; no lesions seen


Hard palate- covered in rugae



Two salivary ducts bumps dorsal to max. 4th PM/1st M
Incisive papilla- midline, caudal to incisors
Pharynx- evaluate for inflammation/neoplasia
Tongue- chewing lesions present?
2. Teeth

Missing, fx, mobility, etc
3. Periodontium
Inflammation, pockets, bone loss, etc
*Radiographs often necessary

Normal vs. Abnormal
The Periodontum
 The periodontium is the area where the tooth
meets the gum.
To attach the tooth to the jaw and provide support, resistant to
normal, functional forces.
It includes:

Gingiva
 Periodontal ligament
 Cementum
 Alveolar bone

The Periodontum
 Gingiva = gum tissue surrounding teeth
 Gingival sulcus is the shallow groove between the
tooth and the gingiva.


Normal depth is 0-3 mm in canines; up to 1 mm in felines
Called a periodontal pocket when abnormal.
The Peridontium
 Cementum is a bone-like
tissue that covers the root
surface. It is stronger than
bone but not as strong as
enamel.

It is capable of repairing
itself.
 Alveolar bone forms the
tooth socket.


Blood vessels and nerves run
through the alveolar bone
Periodontal ligament attaches
cementum to the alveolar bone.