Veterinary Dentistry Study Notes

VETERINARY DENTISTRY OVERVIEW

  • Chapter 35: Overview of Veterinary Dentistry focusing on terminology, procedures, and regulations pertaining to dental care in animals as provided in McCurnin's Clinical Textbook for Veterinary Technicians and Nurses, 10th edition by Joanna Bassert.

EXTRA CREDIT VOLUNTEER HOURS

  • Students can earn 2 points per hour, with a maximum of 10 hours.

  • Timecards should be:

    • Turned in weekly

    • Signed by site supervisor

    • Weeks starting on Sunday

  • Students must find their own volunteer sites, which may include:

    • Veterinary hospitals

    • Animal shelters

    • Zoos, rescues, wildlife sanctuaries

    • Animal laboratories

    • Equine facilities

ACADEMIC POLICIES 2025

  • Work submitted past the due date incurs a 2% deduction each day late.

  • Assignments/Quizzes close a week after their due date.

  • Acceptance of late or makeup work is at the instructor's discretion.

LESSON 35.1: DENTAL MORPHOLOGY

  • Key objectives include:

    • Pronounce, spell, and define all key terms in the chapter.

    • Understand the terminology for designating location and direction in veterinary dentistry.

    • Describe the modified Triadan system for tooth numbering.

    • Explain normal occlusion in dogs and cats, common malocclusions, and orthodontic treatment for small animals.

COMMON TECHNICIAN DENTISTRY TASKS

  • Typical procedures performed by veterinary technicians:

    • Dental cleanings

    • Periodontal debridement

    • Polishing

    • Obtaining diagnostic information

    • Dental charting

    • Dental radiography

    • Intraoperative assistance

    • Client education

VETERINARY DENTAL SERVICES

  • Varieties of professional dental services offered:

    • Professional dental cleanings: Most common in clinics.

    • Advanced dental care:

    • Orthodontics

    • Endodontics

    • Exodontics

    • Advanced periodontal therapy

ORAL DISEASES AND DENTAL SPECIALITIES

  • Periodontics:

    • Focuses on diseases related to the arrangement of teeth.

  • Orthodontics:

    • Pediatric dentistry: concerns for puppies and kittens (Pedodontics)

  • Prosthodontics:

    • Restores the normal shape of teeth.

  • Endodontics:

    • Deals with the internal portion of teeth, including pulp issues.

  • Oral Medicine:

    • Addresses effects of oral cancers and other medical conditions.

ETHICAL AND LEGAL ASPECTS

  • State regulations: Technician tasks are governed by state and national guidelines.

  • AVDC position statement:

    • Authorized to perform dental cleanings and tasks that don't alter tooth structures.

    • Emphasis on the support for advanced training and additional responsibilities.

SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS

  • HAZCOM (Hazardous Communication Standard): Enforced by OSHA.

    • Employee rights to know about hazardous substances in the workplace.

    • Employers must supply necessary safety gear (e.g. glasses, masks, gloves) and ensure usage.

  • Types of protection needed:

    • Eye protection from debris or chemical exposure.

    • Hand protection from biologics, chemicals, and ensuring proper handwashing before gloving.

    • Safety regarding sharps—never recap needles and properly dispose of them in sharps containers.

REPETITIVE MOTION DISORDERS

  • Symptoms include:

    • Stiff neck and shoulders

    • Sore elbows and wrists

    • Hand fatigue

    • Headaches

    • Tingling or numbness in fingers

  • Prolonged symptoms may lead to an inability to perform dental procedures.

CLASSIFICATIONS OF TEETH

  • Brachyodont:

    • Limited eruption and development time (humans, carnivores, pigs).

  • Hypsodont:

    • Continuous growth and eruption throughout the lifetime (horses, rodents, lagomorphs).

Brachyodont vs Hypsodont Explanation

  • Brachyodont teeth:

    • Small distinct crowns with well-developed roots; roots close after eruption.

  • Hypsodont teeth:

    • Includes subcategories: radicular (closure of apices ends growth) and aradicular (lifelong growth).

TEETH OF DOGS AND CATS

  • Four types of teeth explain their functions:

    • Incisors: For gnawing and grooming.

    • Canines: Long for grasping and holding prey.

    • Premolars and Molars: For shearing and grinding food.

DENTAL FORMULAS

  • Dog:

    • Deciduous: 2imes(I<em>3/3,C</em>1/1,P3/3)=282 imes (I<em>{3/3}, C</em>{1/1}, P_{3/3}) = 28 teeth

    • Permanent: 2imes(I<em>3/3,C</em>1/1,P<em>4/4,M</em>2/3)=422 imes (I<em>{3/3}, C</em>{1/1}, P<em>{4/4}, M</em>{2/3}) = 42 teeth

  • Cat:

    • Deciduous: 2imes(I<em>3/3,C</em>1/1,P3/2)=262 imes (I<em>{3/3}, C</em>{1/1}, P_{3/2}) = 26 teeth

    • Permanent: 2imes(I<em>3/3,C</em>1/1,P<em>3/2,M</em>1/1)=302 imes (I<em>{3/3}, C</em>{1/1}, P<em>{3/2}, M</em>{1/1}) = 30 teeth

  • Horse:

    • Deciduous: 2imes(I<em>3/3,C</em>0/0,P3/3)=242 imes (I<em>{3/3}, C</em>{0/0}, P_{3/3}) = 24 teeth

    • Permanent: 2imes(I<em>3/3,C</em>1/1extor0/0,P<em>3extor4/3extor4,M</em>3/3)=36extto442 imes (I<em>{3/3}, C</em>{1/1 ext{ or } 0/0}, P<em>{3 ext{ or } 4/3 ext{ or } 4}, M</em>{3/3}) = 36 ext{ to } 44

DIPHYODONT

  • Characteristic of most mammals: having two sets of teeth: deciduous (primary/baby teeth) and permanent (adult teeth), with varying numbers and roots.

  • Breakdown of teeth may include:

    • Deciduous:

    • Puppy: 4-6 incisors, 3-5 canines, 5-6 premolars.

    • Kitten: 3-4 incisors, 3-4 canines, 5-6 premolars.

    • Permanent:

    • Dog: 12-16 incisors, 12-16 canines, 16-20 premolars, 16-20 molars.

    • Cat: 11-16 incisors, 12-20 canines, 16-20 premolars, 20-24 molars.

DENTAL TERMINOLOGY

  • Facial:

    • Vestibular surface of teeth seen from the front.

  • Mesial:

    • Side closest to the center of the dental arch.

  • Distal:

    • Farthest side from the center of the dental arch.

  • Apical:

    • Toward the root.

  • Coronal:

    • Toward the crown.

  • Interproximal:

    • Area between two teeth.

  • Furcation:

    • Area where the roots meet the crown; bifurcation (two roots) and trifurcation (three roots).

  • Labial, vestibular, buccal:

    • Directions toward the outside (labial toward lips; buccal toward cheeks).

  • Palatal and Lingual:

    • Directions toward the middle of the mouth (palatal for maxillary teeth; lingual for mandibular teeth).

DENTAL NUMBERING SYSTEMS

  • Modified Triadan system:

    • 100 series: Right maxillary quadrant

    • 200 series: Left maxillary quadrant

    • 300 series: Left mandibular quadrant

    • 400 series: Right mandibular quadrant

    • Two-digit numbering system used to identify each tooth.

  • Deciduous teeth (Triadan):

    • 500 series to 800 series used.

OCCLUSION

  • Definition: Spatial relationship of teeth in the mouth.

  • Malocclusion: Errors in teeth or jaw alignment.

    • Scissors bite: A specific alignment where incisors overlap.

    • Carnassial teeth: Designed for shearing flesh.

    • Anisognathism: Refers to the unequal width of the dental arches.

MOLES AND CHEWING LESIONS

  • Molars:

    • Primarily for crushing food.

  • Carnivores:

    • Have fewer molars compared to herbivores; dogs have two maxillary and three mandibular molars.

    • Cats have fewer flat occlusal surfaces, making them less susceptible to caries lesions than humans.

LESSON 35.2: ORAL EXAMINATION AND DENTAL RADIOGRAPHY

  • Objectives include:

    • Understanding the complete medical history related to veterinary dentistry.

    • Recognizing extraoral and intraoral examination techniques in dogs and cats.

    • Describing necessary equipment and supplies for dental radiography.

    • Learning about angles used in dental radiography.

ORAL EXAMINATION AND HISTORY

  • Assessment: Full medical history should encompass clinical symptoms like:

    • Pawing at the mouth

    • Reluctance to eat

    • Face rubbing against surfaces

    • Behavioral changes to touch in facial areas.

  • Emphasis on at-home dental care through diet and toys.

EXTRAORAL EXAMINATION

  • Examination areas include:

    • Head, face, eyes, ears, neck for any symmetry, pain, or swelling.

    • Check for discharge or odor related to the mouth.

    • Assess salivary glands and lymph nodes.

INTRAORAL EXAMINATION

  • Conducted under general anesthesia covering:

    • Soft tissues in the oral cavity.

    • Dental structures and periodontium with special focus on:

    • Oral lesions (CUPS), hard and soft palates, and tonsils.

CHRONIC ULCERATIVE PARADENTAL STOMATITIS (CUPS)

  • Description: Formation of mucosal ulcerations due to bacterial plaque near diseased teeth.

PERIODONTAL PROBES

  • Instruments used for measuring:

    • Attachment levels, depth of sulcus and pockets, overall mobility of teeth, and gingival bleeding.

DENTAL EXPLORERS

  • Used to detect:

    • Surface irregularities, cavity completion, and transitions in fillings.

HAND INSTRUMENTS (1 OF 3)

  • Explorer:

    • Detects calculus and cavity exploration.

    • Main types include:

    • Shepherd’s Hook (most common).

    • Pigtail.

HAND INSTRUMENTS (2 OF 3)

  • Calculus removal forceps: Efficient in removing large calculus sections; be careful to not damage enamel or gums.

  • Scalers:

    • Sharp tips, used strictly on crowns; inappropriate for subgingival use.

MODIFIED PEN GRASP

  • Enhances tactile sensitivity and precise control; involves:

    • Three fingertips positioned in a tripod, with specific finger placement.

ASSESSING TOOTH CIRCUMFERENCE

  • Insert periodontal probes parallel to the root axis and walk around the tooth degree by degree, using resistance to mark levels adjacent to the gingival margin.

INITIAL FINDINGS RECORDING

  • Document all findings, including presence and size of lesions and any abnormal dental conditions observed.

  • Evaluate gum and tooth structures thoroughly.

MISSING TEETH (ANODONTIA)

  • Reasons include:

    • Never formed, delayed eruption, or previously exist but lost. Mark missing teeth on charts and extracted teeth with an “X”.

ENDODONTIC CONDITIONS

  • Treatment pertains to the internal pulp of the teeth; includes conditions arising from fractures, trauma, and more with varying classifications (enamel fractures, complicated/uncomplicated crown fractures, etc.).

LOCAL ANESTHESIA

  • Works by blocking nerve channels via infusion around the tissues using appropriate sized needles; Bupivacaine is preferred for its longevity (6-10 hours) but comes with various risks.

REGIONAL NERVE BLOCKS FOR ORAL SURGERY

  • Benefits include preemptive analgesia, diminishing inhalant anesthetic use, among others, with specific positional techniques required for safe administration.

PERIODONTAL SURGERY CLASSIFICATION

  • Grades of procedures based on severity, from routine cleaning (Grade I) to tooth extraction (Grade IV).

HOME CARE RECOMMENDATIONS

  • Important practice to reduce bacteria, with specific techniques suggested like brushing, dietary adjustments, and monitoring toys.

ASSIGNMENTS

  • Classwork assignments based on various dental methodologies including:

    • Dental Morphology and Directional Terminology

    • Triadan Numbering System; due dates specified for homework tasks.