Dental and oral disease account for the most common problems in our pet dogs and cats. By 3 years of age, 80% of dogs and cats are suffering from dental disease that requires professional treatment. Left untreated, this can cause bad breath, oral pain and infection, tooth loss, diminished quality of life and even infection of other organs.

With the recognition of dental diseases as common and debilitating problems, routine dental checkups and teeth cleaning at your primary care veterinarian have become an essential part of preventive care. But, should your pet need more advanced dental, oral or maxillofacial treatment, CUVS provides a full range of specialty services.

Veterinary Dentistry involves the assessment and treatment of all conditions affecting the teeth and mouth. CUVS’ service utilizes a state-of-the-art dental operatory equipped with sophisticated anesthesia monitoring equipment and digital diagnostic imaging capabilities. This allows us to provide a combination of high quality, experienced care and minimally invasive treatment options for your pet.

Veterinary Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery involves assessment and treatment of diseases, injuries and defects in the head, neck, face, jaws and teeth. This requires advanced dental and surgical expertise, frequently in collaboration with several other specialties. The focus on integrated care and collaboration at CUVS allows us to offer oral & maxillofacial surgery found in few other hospitals across the country.

Your pet’s dentistry care with our service typically occurs over two visits. We start with a consultation appointment that includes an awake examination of your pet, to determine appropriate diagnostics and expected treatment plan. Because the full extent of many oral conditions can elude an awake examination, final treatment decisions can only be made by further assessment under anesthesia. Despite this, our team will ensure that you are prepared for expected findings and treatment, allowing for a smooth and stress-free treatment visit. When you return for the procedure, your pet will undergo anesthesia, comprehensive oral examination, diagnostic imaging (dental X-rays), treatment and a professional dental cleaning. Final treatment plans are discussed in real time over the phone if desired. A board-certified anesthesiologist and/or critical care specialist is available for patients deemed to have greater anesthetic risk. Dentistry patients will typically go home the same day as the procedure.

If your pet has a tumor, has suffered facial trauma or other orofacial disease, assessment, diagnostic work up and treatment plan is highly individualized based on his/her needs. Complex problems may also benefit from collaboration with other specialists. These patients frequently spend a number of days in hospital depending on the care they require.

The Services We Offer

CUVS’s Dentistry, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery team provides a full range of advanced services and procedures, including:

Comprehensive assessment, diagnosis and treatment planning

• Examination and testing on the awake patient
• Anesthetized oral examination and imaging (x-rays and/or CT scan)
• Consultation and collaboration with other specialists to ensure safe anesthesia, treatment and recovery if your pet is presenting for a complex problem or has other health issues

Periodontal Procedures

• Professional dental cleaning with dental radiographs
• Root planing
• Mucogingival surgery and guided tissue regeneration
• Gingivectomy and gingivoplasty (using radiosurgery)
• Crown lengthening

Endodontic Procedures

• Standard root canal treatment
• Vital pulp therapy
• Surgical root canal treatment
• Splinting and treatment of dislocated or avulsed teeth

Prosthodontic and Orthodontic Procedures

• Full metal crown placement
• Bite evaluation and orthodontic treatment planning
• Crown reduction for malocclusion
• Placement of active and passive orthodontic appliances

Restorative Procedures

• Bonding of damaged or abnormal teeth
• Composite restoration of damaged or abnormal teeth
• Composite restoration of caries (cavities)

Oral Medicine

• Advanced diagnostic imaging
• Biopsies for oral masses and other lesions
• Management of oral diseases, including masticatory myositis, stomatitis, and oral manifestations of autoimmune diseases

Oral Surgery

• Extraction of fractured, diseased, dislocated, unerupted or resorbing teeth
• Oronasal fistula repair
• Oral mass removal
• Dentigerous cyst removal

Maxillofacial Surgery

• Jaw and facial fracture repair (including use of titanium miniplates)
• Jaw resection surgeries for oral and facial cancer (mandibulectomy, maxillectomy)
• Jaw and facial reconstruction for cancer (jaw bone regeneration and soft tissue grafting)
• Neck and facial lymph node sampling and surgical removal
• Cleft lip and palate repair
• Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) surgery
• Salivary gland surgery

Our Specialist

The Dentistry & Oral Surgery Service is headed by Alexander Geddes, BVetMed, PGDip (VCP), DAVDC, MRCVS.