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Chapter 15 Dental Skills for the Veterinary Assistant 285

Distal – the surface away from the midline maxilla and mandible are the same length and will have a
Gingival – toward the gingiva scissor bite where the top incisors slide in front of the
Lingual – toward the tongue on the mandible lower or they have a level bite where the incisors meet
Mesial – the surface facing the medial incisor, toward the crown to crown. Classic examples are Labradors and most
midline breeds of cats. Dichocephalic animals will have very long
Occlusal – chewing surface muzzles with the same bites as the mesocephalic dogs.
Palatal – toward the tongue on the maxilla. Classic examples are Dachshunds, Afghan Hounds, and
Siamese cats.
Dental Formulas

Learning Exercise
Dental formulas are another means of remembering
how many teeth a dog or cat has and in what number. A Produce a dental reference section in your reference
capital letter is used to designate Incisors, Canines, book. Utilize a picture of the dental arcades of
Premolars, Molars. The numbers separated by a / indi- dogs and cats from the internet. Mark directional
cate the number of each type of tooth on the maxilla and terms, dental anatomy, and terminology. Make a
mandible, respectively. For example, 2/3M indicates note of the dental formulas as well. Select pictures
there are two molars in the maxilla and three in the from the internet that depict the various head
mandible. The 2x refers to the left and right side of the shapes and add those to your book.
mouth.

Adult dog 2x(3/3I, 1/1C, 4/4P, 2/3M) = 42
Puppies 2x(3/3i, 1/1c, 3/3p,) = 28
Adult cats 2x(3/3I, 1/1C, 3/2P, 1/1M) = 30 Dental Instruments,
Kittens 2x(3/3i, 1/1c, 3/2p) = 26. Equipment, and
Maintenance
Age Approximation Based
on Dental Eruption Being able to identify and maintain dental instruments
and equipment is of great value to the practice.
Commonly used hand instruments include a periodontal
Age can be estimated by dental eruption. In dogs, the probe, explorer, scaler, curette, and mirror (Figure 15.3).
deciduous (primary) canine teeth begin to erupt at From left to right the instruments in the dental kit in
3–4 weeks of age. By 4–6 weeks the deciduous incisors Figure 15.3:
and premolars begin to erupt. By 8 weeks all deciduous
teeth are erupted. At 4–5 months the permanent incisors, • Mirror – helps visualize the surfaces of the hard to
some premolars, and molars begin erupting. Permanent reach teeth.
canines begin to erupt at approximately 5 months. All • Periodontal explorer/probe – the explorer is usually in
permanent teeth should be in place by 6 months of age. the shape of a shepherd hook and is used to
In cats, the deciduous incisors begin to come in at determine problems on the tooth surface. The
2–4 weeks followed by the deciduous canines at 3–4 weeks. explorer is very sharp and should never be used
Deciduous premolars begin to erupt in the lower jaw at below the gum line. The dental probe end at the top
4–6 weeks of age. All deciduous teeth are in place by of the instrument is used during the oral examination
8 weeks. At 3–4 months the permanent incisors begin to measure the sulcus depth of the periodontal tissues
coming in. The permanent canines, premolars, and surrounding each tooth.
molars begin to erupt at 4–5 months. All permanent teeth • Curettes – the next two instruments in the kit with the
should be in by 6 months of age. yellow and orange colored handles. They have two
ends with blunted tips. See Figure 15.4 for a close‐up
of the curette tip. The curette is designed to remove
Head Type calculus and debris from under the gingiva. The
blunted tip protects the gingival tissues from
The head type of each patient should be recorded on the laceration.
chart as it can affect the number of teeth found. The head • Scalers are the last three instruments; each has two
type can be indicative of dental problems. Brachycephalic sharp ends and tips that are angled to fit the tooth
animals have a shortened maxilla and longer mandible. surfaces. The scaler is used to remove calculus
Classic examples are Bulldogs and Persian cats. In (tartar) from the tooth surface. Due to the sharp tip,
mesocephalic animals with medium‐length muzzles, both the scaler cannot be used below the gum line as it can