Good afternoon everyone,
I saw Dr. Doucette this afternoon because I chipped my tooth yesterday. He is a nice guy and his assistant is an absolute darling! She gave me lots of goodies to munch on while we were waiting. The ladies at the front desk are wonderful too!
Anyways, Dr. Doucette gave me some medicine to help my sore tooth feel better and I have a special dental appointment tomorrow morning with him to get the tooth properly treated. I have to admit I am a little nervous. What can I expect??
Please reply ASAP and thanks in advance,
George R. Retriever
Good afternoon George,
Thanks for reaching out. I am pleased to hear that you find our team members to be so delightful. They strive to make your experience here the best it can be. You will be seeing Dr. Doucette and his assistant again in the morning. Now be sure not to eat anything as you will receive some medications that will make you very sleepy. This will make you quite comfortable and will allow Dr. Doucette to assess and treat your mouth properly.
He will perform a complete oral exam and will likely take some dental radiographs. The worst case scenario is that he may have to surgically extract the chipped tooth in order to make you more comfortable. However, he is trained to treat chipped teeth in other ways as well.
The good news is that he also performs dental bonding/sealing for uninfected uncomplicated crown fractures, enamel hypocalcification and caries. This is often less expensive than having a tooth extracted and can save your tooth and keep you comfortable for quite some time.
Essentially, the doctor reshapes the area and goes through a process of applying various liquids to the affected area. He “cures” or hardens the liquids with a special light until it is smooth and hard. This makes the toothless sensitive to contact pressure, temperature and other stimulation. It also protects the tooth from invading bacteria.
You will go home in the afternoon, likely with some medication for a couple of days. And you can eat supper!
You would then get to see Dr Doucette and his assistant again in 2 weeks.
If you or your mom have any questions please call again,
Thanks, Westwood Hills Veterinary Hospital
Written by Rob Doucette, DVM
