Pet Periodontal Therapy

At Animal Care Center of Castle Pines we are experts in treatment and prevention of periodontal disease by comprehensive anesthetized dental scaling, polishing, root planing, gingival surgery and guided tissue regeneration.

Periodontal disease refers to the destruction of the supporting apparatus of the tooth, including the bone and periodontal ligament that hold the tooth in the socket. Periodontal disease is the most common reason for pets to lose teeth and is the most commonly diagnosed medical condition in mature dogs and cats. In fact, most dogs and cats over the age of five years suffer from periodontal disease.

Periodontal disease is nearly universal in dogs and cats, with 80% of dogs and cats being affected by the age of 3 years old. We offer advanced treatment options for your pet's strategic teeth and comprehensive dental care including full mouth extractions if needed.

Hidden Dental Disease Likely Lurks Below Your Pet's Gumline

Dental radiographs are absolutely required to guide appropriate treatment for periodontal disease. Without dental X-rays, painful problems will remain undetected.

The radiograph below reveals severe bone loss and an abscessed tooth hidden beneath the gum line. Half of the lower jaw bone has been destroyed by infection under the gum line, and the tooth required extraction. This process took years to occur but was hidden under the gum line, out of view. If this had been caught sooner, the tooth could have been treated.

Periodontal Disease Diagnosis & Treatment

The proper diagnosis and treatment of periodontal disease for your pet will alleviate oral pain that often is not noticed and greatly improve their quality of life.

Periodontal disease takes place mainly under the gum line, hidden from your view. Periodontal disease is caused by bacterial infection and the response of the patient to that infection. Treatment is aimed at eliminating the voids that form under the gums, trapping debris and infectious material. Treatment may involve the reduction of overgrown gums, surgical exposure of roots, meticulous cleaning of all root surfaces so that healing can take place, and the placement of graft materials to help replace missing bone.

We frequently find small lesions that are causing big problems. Just because a tooth is not loose does not mean that there isn’t a problem or discomfort. Dental radiographs are absolutely required to guide appropriate treatment for periodontal disease. Without dental X-rays, painful problems will remain undetected.

Surgical Treatment of Periodontal Disease

In some cases, deeper areas of periodontal disease with bone loss can be surgically treated to regenerate the bone, heal the void under the gum line and save important teeth. This form of treatment, termed “open root planing”, creates an environment for the normal supporting tissues of the tooth to regenerate.

Gingival Hyperplasia

Overgrown gum tissues commonly occur and allow debris to collect under the gum line. This is very common in boxers and can be caused by certain medications. This form of periodontal disease is easily treatable by surgical removal of the overgrown tissues. We use a radio-surgical unit for this procedure, which results in very little bleeding and rapid healing of the tissues.