Dentals Flashcards
What should be asked before performing an oral exam on a patient?
Get full clinical history. • Has the animal been eating normally? (changes in amount, eating on one side, drooling and trouble swallowing) • Is the animal dropping items from its mouth? • Is the animal pawing at, shaking or rubbing mouth along the floor? • Any signs of jaw pain, clicking or chattering?
What areas does an oral exam involve?
• the head and neck as well as the oral cavity. To complete a full exam you should assess: • Symmetry of the head and neck (including assessing lymph nodes) • Tongue • Mucous membranes • Hard and soft palate • Gingiva and gingival margins • TEETH
How many teeth do dogs have?
42 permanent teeth (20 Maxilla/22 Mandible)
How many teeth do cats have?
30 adult teeth (16 Maxilla /14 Mandible)
How many of each tooth type do dogs have?
Inscisors - 12 total (6 top/6 bottom) Canines – 4 total (2 top/2 bottom) Premolars – 16 Molars - 10
How many of each tooth type do cats have?
Inscisors - 12 total (6 top/6 bottom) Canines – 4 total (2 top/2 bottom) Premolars – 10 Molars - 4
Where is the Labial surface?
The surface of incisors and canines directed towards the lip
Where is the Buccal surface?
The surface of premolars and molars facing the cheek
Where is the Facial surface?
The labial and buccal surfaces collectively
Where is the Lingual surface?
Surfaces facing the tongue in mandibular teeth
Where is the Palatal surface?
Surfaces facing the palate in maxillary teeth
Where is the Proximal surface?
Collective term for the surfaces facing adjoining teeth within the same jaw quadrant
Where is the Distal surface?
Away from the midline
Where is the Mesial surface?
Towards the midline
What is dental charting used for?
• Marking what teeth are healthy for future dentals
• Noting missing teeth
• Recording what teeth are required to be extracted/need
further evaluation (radiographs/biopsy)
• It is a legal record to show the owner in case of any disputes
or concerns
What should be checked during an oral exam under anaesthesia?
• Use of a Periodontal probe to measure gingival pocket depths • Use the explorer probe to identify resorptive lesions and defects in the enamel • Palpation of mobile teeth • Radiographs
What is the Modified Tradian numbering system?
- This provides a consistent system of numbering teeth over different species
- Quadrant – the first number defines the area of the jaw. Broken up into 4 quadrants
- Tooth position – the second and third number represents the tooths position with I the quadrant
What numbers are right upper permanent?
1/100s
What numbers are left upper permanent?
2/200s
What numbers are left lower permanent?
3/300s
What numbers are right lower permanent?
4/400s
What numbers are the right upper deciduous?
5/500s
What numbers are the left upper deciduous?
6/600s
What numbers are the left lower deciduous?
7/700s
What numbers are the right lower deciduous?
8/800s
How is charting done?
- Assess per quadrant (1-4)
- Count the teeth – note missing or extra teeth
- Determine level of calculus (0 – none, 3 – 100% cover)
- Determine level of gingival inflammation – using
periodontal probe - Note any abnormalities visible (fractured teeth,
enamel defects, excessive wear) - Note any treatments on chart (extractions etc)
What are the abbreviations added to the chart?
C- Calculus (1-3) G- Gingivitis (1-3) P – periodontitis (1-3) M – Mobility (1-3) GR - Probing depth (mm) F – Furcation (1-3) O – Missing tooth (circle) # - Fracture PE – Pulp exposed TR - Tooth resorption
X - Extracted
CA - Crown amputation
B - Biopsy
What is a brachycephalic dog?
Snout is too short
What is a dolichocephalic dog?
Snout is too long
What is a mesocephalic dog?
Snout is normal
What are considerations to be made before a dental?
• Pack the pharynx to help prevent water and
debris going down the throat
• Positioning
• Temperature – lots of water used around the
head and animal will lose heat quickly
• Scale before extraditions to prevent extra
bacteria entering the blood stream
• Safety for you – protective gear!
What are the steps to perform a dental?
• Chlorhex rinse – 0.12% solution • Remove gross calculus • Descale tooth and below gumline • Polish • Probe and chart (depths of 3mm in dgs and 1mm in cats are normal) • Radiographs and create treatment plan • Lavage • Treatments and at home care
What are things to prevent in a dental procedure?
- Pulmonary barotrauma
- Blindness
- Tracheal tears
- Airway occlusion
- Aspiration
- Thermal burns
What does probing involve?
• Use of the dental probe will tell you the health of the gum tissue surrounding the gum. To avoid trauma, only step probe areas arount the tooth • DO NOT run the probe around the tooth
What does the explorer involve?
• This is to be used in any areas that may be hiding defects. • Any worn tooth should be assessed for root exposure. • Small grooves in the teeth can also be assessed using this.
What does Sub-gingival hand scaling involve?
• As a large portion of calculus will build up
below the gum line. To successfully remove
this a hand scaler is the best method.
• Hold the sickle scaler so that the sharp edge is
in line with the tooth and scrape it along the
tooth surface
What does ultrasonic scaling involve?
Remove the bulk of the calculus with a a hand scaler first. Hold the scaler so that the long axis of the scaler tip is parallel with the tooth surface (like holding a pen), you should not spend longer than 15 seconds on one tooth as it will heat the tooth from the inside out. The smaller the tooth the shorter the time. Light strokes with minimal pressure. Can be used subgignivally with reduced settings (depending on the model)
What are the two types of Ultrasonic Scaling tools?
Piezo- electric
• Crystal in the handpiece
• Linear motion
electromagnetic
• Metal stack or ferrite rod
• Eliptical motion
Things to remember about scaling?
• Cavitation - fine bubbles pop on the surface of
the tooth to dislodge calculus and
also cause disruption to the bacteria cell walls.
• The tip can scratch enamel
• Water should be a fine mist
What does polishing involve?
• Polishing is carried out after scaling. Done with a
low speed handpiece, prophy head, polishing cup
and polishing paste ( fine abrasive grit).
Splay cup under gums
• Use downward strokes to
ensure complete coverage
• Careful not to hold the cup in one place for more
than just a few seconds as friction will also heat
up the tooth. 3 seconds per tooth at a time.
What do Lavage and antimicrobial treatments
involve?
Most dental machines will have the option to
irrigate with water or an oral chlorhexadine
rinse.
• Chlorhex can be used before scaling to reduce
oral bacteria
• Water (and or air) can be used after polishig to
rinse away prophy paste and other debris
• Antibiotics?
Important things to remember about patient homecare?
After a dental procedure plaque will start to
build up fast so owners can start at home
treatments as soon as possible.
Pets that have had extractions, should ideally be
on a soft food for a few days post procedure.
TIP – a/d sticks to sutures!
Mechanical cleaning (tooth brushing, diets)
Chemical cleaning (Aqaudent, water additives with enzymes to prevent bacterial growth).
Other things to remember?
• 70% of lower jaw strength is the lower canines
• Itchy dogs – worn incisors
• Amelioblasts that create enamel are sensitive
to heat
• Woods lamp vs Ic plaque. Light picks up
mature anerobic plaque
What is periodontal disease?
Plaque initially forms on supragingival surfaces and then extends below the gum line. Conditions become more anaerobic as plaque, calculus and gingival swelling occlude the gingival sulcus.
Causes of periodontal disease?
- Breed and genetics
- Age
- Diet
- Immunity or presence of other diseases
- Tooth crowding
- Trauma
Systemic effects of periodontal disease?
Bacteria enter the bloodstream. Effects the function of the lungs, kidneys and heart
Do puppies and kittens get molars?
No. Molars are permanent teeth.
When does a puppies’ incisors come in?
2-3 weeks
When does a puppies’ canines come in?
3-4 weeks
When does a puppies’ premolars come in?
3-6 weeks
When does a dogs’ incisors come in?
3-4 months
When does a dogs’ canines come in?
4-5 months
When does a dogs’ premolars come in?
4-6 months
When does a dogs’ molars come in?
4-6 months
When does a kittens’ incisors come in?
3-5 weeks
When does a kittens’ canines come in?
3-6 weeks
When does a kittens’ premolars come in?
4-10 weeks
When does a cats’ incisors come in?
3-5 months
When does a cats’ canines come in?
3.5-6 months
When does a cats’ premolars come in?
3.5-6 months
When does a cats’ molars come in?
3.5-7 months
What is the dental formulae for a dog?
Deciduous:
3 1 3
——-
3 1 3 = 14
Permanent:
3 1 4 2
———
3 1 4 3 = 21
What is the dental formulae for a cat?
Deciduous:
3 1 3
——-
3 1 2 = 13
Permanent:
3 1 4 2
———
3 1 4 3 = 21
What order is a dental formulae read in?
Incisors, canines, premolars, molars.
