|
|
Who would think that there is anything is wrong with this tooth—the
crown is lovely and white. |
|
|
On dental x-ray—surprise! There is an abscess at the root of the
tooth– very painful. This particular patient had recurrent kidney
infections and diarrhea. This tooth needed to be extracted (taken out). |
|
|
The patient is under general anesthesia and also has had a local
anesthetic, as this is a PAINFUL procedure. The gum is cut to allow a
gingival flap to be created. |
|
|
The gum is detached from the underlying bone. |
|
|
The crown of the tooth is split using a high-speed drill to separate
the roots.
|
|
|
Elevators are used to break down the periodontal ligaments. This
loosens the root and takes patience and time. Sometimes the root can break
and MUST be removed. Postoperative radiographs help the veterinarian make
sure all fragments are removed.
|
|
|
The root is removed. You can see that the tip of the root is black
indicating that the pulp cavity (inside the tooth) is infected. |
|
|
The second root must now be removed entirely. |
|
|
The root is removed. |
|
|
The socket of the tooth is filled with bioglass, which helps
minimize bone loss. The gum is sewn over the socket and bioglass. |
|
|
Here the gums are sutured keeping the socket sterile. The pet needs
to be on antibiotics for 8 to 10 days and on soft food for 3 weeks. After
eating, the mouth over the incisions should be flushed out. If signs of
pain, swelling, discharge, poor appetite, redness or purple discolouration
at the suture site please let us know. |
