You may have seen anaesthesia-free dentistry advertised and wondered why we don’t offer this as an option for your pet.
We’d love to be able to say “open wide” but this isn’t possible in the veterinary dental world! Without an anaesthetic it is impossible to perform a thorough examination of your pet’s mouth, and there is simply no way we can correctly diagnose or treat dental problems while your pet is awake.
Any dental procedure done without an anaesthetic can have a negative psychological impact on your pet as it is likely to cause your pet unnecessary pain.
The worst thing is, anaesthesia-free dentistry can potentially mask serious underlying disease and lead to complications in the future.
When a pet is anaesthetised, we are able to look for any hidden problems and potential sources of pain. Radiographs can be taken and the teeth can be safely probed with special dental instruments, a critical part of a dental procedure. We can also manage pain and gum infections which are all too common.
The Main Differences:
Veterinary Dental Treatment is carried out by qualified Veterinarians.
- While your pet is asleep, we thoroughly clean their teeth including the area under the gums and inside surfaces.
- An ultrasonic scaler is used so as not to damage the enamel of the teeth
- We can assess and treat any underlying gum disease and gingivitis
- Any teeth that are damaged, painful and decayed can be removed
- Healthy teeth can be polished to smooth over the enamel.
- Additional pain relief can be provided.
- It is stress free.
- Pets are physically restrained, and can become distressed.
- The outside surface of teeth are scraped with a manual metal tool leading to enamel damage
- Damage to enamel leads to faster plaque build up in future.
- The inner portions and under gum areas cannot be cleaned
- It is essential to understand effective cleaning cannot be done correctly if your pet is awake.
- Removing only the calculus that is visible on the outside of tooth (as done in anaesthesia-free dentistry) is purely cosmetic.
You can read more about why anaesthesia-free dentistry is not appropriate for your pet on the Australian Veterinary Association website.
