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Dentistry

At Three Islands Islands Veterinary Services, we have the latest (and most up-to-date) dental equipment, including ultrasonic scalers, high-speed dental drills and polishers and an excellent digital dental x-ray system to evaluate dental roots and jaw bone structure.

Veterinarians with cat at Three Islands Veterinary Services

Our high-quality dental services begin with a full mouth assessment under general anesthetic, evaluating each tooth individually using our up-to-date modern digital dental X-ray system to evaluate the bone, crowns, tooth roots, and many other potential defects. We perform dental nerve blocks before oral surgery to minimize post-op discomfort and reduce the need for excessive anesthetic agents. We perform tooth extractions using flap techniques that stitch the gums closed to increase healing and reduce pain and infection. We clean and polish all teeth and hand scale under the gingiva. We provide biopsy of oral tumors and some tumor removal surgeries.....include teeth cleaning and polishing, digital dental X-rays, tooth extractions and oral surgery. We use the most modern equipment consistent with high-quality medicine.

The 2 biggest problems we see in small animal medicine on a daily basis are dental disease and pet obesity. Dr. Dave Heaton has had a special interest in dental care and oral surgery for over 20 years.  He has taken numerous training courses with dental specialists, attended dental conferences and lectures and has performed dental care and oral surgery on literally thousands of dogs and cats over the years. 

Dogs and cats do require general anesthesia for any dental procedure. Anesthetic care and safety are always a major priority (see our discussion on anesthetic safety in 'frequently asked questions').

The following is a handout that we provide to our clients to answer many of the common questions regarding some of the typical dental procedures at our hospital.