Root planing for advanced periodontitis

Saving Smiles: Root Planing for a Dog’s 309 & 409 Molars 🐶🦷

Daisy attended the clinic for dental treatment of Grade 2 periodontal disease. After cleaning it was evident there was marked bone recession of her mandibular first molars - tooth 309 on the left, and 409 on the right.

These molars, along with the carnassials, do most of the chewing, so they collect a lot of plaque and tartar under the gumline. Once gingivitis turns into periodontal disease, it’s not just about scaling the crown. The roots need smoothing too.

That’s where root planing comes in. This is an advanced surgical procedure not suitable to be used for all teeth. A flap is created along the side of the gum to visualise the root. Using a fine dental curette, we carefully clean and smooth the tooth root surface under the gums. This removes bacterial biofilm and infected cementum so the gum tissue can reattach and heal. Think of it like a deep-clean for the part of the tooth you can’t see.

Keeping teeth clean and healthy means less pain, better eating, and fewer extractions down the track. With anesthesia, pain control, and gentle technique, our patient had a speedy recovery with less extractions.  Ongoing home dental care and 6 month dental checks will help prevent further extractions.

Moral of the story: “Bad breath” is often periodontal disease. Regular dental exams + cleanings catch problems like this before they need extractions.

Want tips for home dental care? Ask us at your next visit.