Surgical management of dental problems in senior dogs

If professional cleaning of the dentition, including the important home care and antibiotics or disinfectants do not lead to success, tooth extractions may be an option in periodontal treatment. In my experience, senior dogs, which come more than three times a year for tartar removal and treatment of periodontitis, are likely candidates for this intervention. These are mostly toy breed dogs. The home care is difficult to perform as the dogs only often eat canned food. They sometimes have malocclusions, which can be a predisposition for gingivitis and periodontitis. Extractions of teeth, which surroundings are deeply affected by an infection, are not difficult to perform. Even three-rooted teeth may be extracted with a clamp and only two or three movements. A multiple rooted teeth must be separated into their roots with a bur or a saw. Then, the single roots are extracted. The extraction of non affected teeth is rather a process of patience than of force. The epithelial attachment is cut first. With an extraction lever, the periodontal ligament is stretched on different locations until the tooth is loose. Adjacent teeth may be carefully used as an anchor. The resulting bleeding and edema helps and pushes the tooth out of its alveole. Only at the last moment, the clamp is used. Cautious turnings complete the extraction process. Any left root fragments are removed and bony projections are smoothed off to facilitate gingival healing (Fig. 1). It is important to control, that all roots are completely extracted by taking a radiograph.