With the advancement of science and technology, oral and maxillofacial surgery has enabled the veterinary dental world to provide pet owners with better solutions to treat clinical conditions. At Dog and Cat Dentist, we employ state-of-the-art technology in combination with the best veterinary dental expertise in Los Angeles. So, if your pet requires surgery, we can design the best-customized treatment plan for your pet’s safe and quick recovery.
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
When is Oral Surgery Required?
For veterinary dentists to extract tumorous growths, provide solutions for oral defects such as palate defects and repair jaw fractures, cats and dogs require oral surgery.
Not all surgeries are major. Often, pets require plaque and calculus to be removed from the roots of their teeth or may need a surgical extraction of a tooth which can’t be saved.
In the case of periodontal disease, which is one of the most common conditions affecting dogs and cats, it is a progressive disease that if untreated spreads and gets steadily worse. So, depending on the stage it has reached, surgery is usually required to aid periodontal tissue regeneration.
Sometimes, pets develop more complicated conditions, and oral surgery is the only solution, as in the case of large tumors, acute maxillofacial trauma or maxillofacial reconstruction.
Trauma Reconstruction
There is a host of factors that could cause head injury to our loved cats and dogs. Injuries could be a result of vehicular accidents, fights with other animals, damage caused by sharp objects or those caused by falling from dangerous heights. The facial damages caused by these calamities in addition to substantial jaw and teeth trauma are extremely painful. The degree of pain is normally proportionate to the amount of trauma suffered. In addition, the accident could result in misaligned teeth and affect oral capability which leads to soft tissue damage. Besides affecting appetite, injuries also drastically reduce the quality of an animal’s life.
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Comprehensive Treatment Plans
Only a veterinary dentist who has specialized in oral and maxillofacial surgery can assess the extent of damage before recommending a comprehensive treatment plan that may consider both short and long-term recovery options. The objective of trauma reconstruction is to restore the patient’s oral cavity health and fitness so that the animal can get back to enjoying life once again.
Removal of Tumors
Usually, pet owners miss detecting a tumor in its early stages because their dogs or cats typically bear their pain in silence. Especially in the case of pets who do not have a veterinary dental checkup included as part of their routine health regiment, tumors can go unnoticed for a significant period of time.
As soon as a tumor is discovered, an immediate plan of action is required to address and treat the condition. Oral exams aren’t adequate to find out if the tumor is malignant or benign. Only a biopsy will specifically determine the type of tumor it is. For most tumors, the optimum treatment is to remove it in its entirety.
Expertise in Pet Dental Care
Dr. Anson Tsugawa, our founder and lead veterinary dentist, along with his team of highly skilled, board-certified physicians, are the only veterinary dental specialists in Los Angeles. They follow the strictest anesthetic and monitoring protocols because the safety and comfort of their patients during surgery is their topmost priority. At Dog and Cat Dentist, not only does your pet have access to the finest expertise in L.A., but also has access to expertise that truly cares.
LA’s Only Veterinary Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon
Dr. Tsugawa is the only fellowship trained and examined veterinary oral and maxillofacial surgeon practicing in Los Angeles. As a Board Certified Veterinary Dentist™, Dr. Tsugawa completed his Fellowship in Veterinary Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) at the William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, was examined by the AVDC® OMFS Examination Committee, and currently holds the title, Fellow, American Veterinary Dental College® Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. Dr. Tsugawa also holds the distinction, along with three other colleagues, of successfully passing the first AVDC® OMFS certifying examination that was offered in 2022, and is one of the first four Board Certified Veterinary Dentists™ in the world that have been certified by examination as AVDC® Fellows in Veterinary Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
