Introduction to Veterinary Dental Anatomy and Procedures

Examples: Golden Retrievers, Terriers, and domestic short hair cats.

Dolichocephalic

These animals possess long, narrow heads.

Examples: Greyhounds, Doberman Pinschers, and Siamese cats.

Dental Anatomy and Terminology

To perform accurate oral charting and cleaning, technicians must understand the complex structures of the mouth.

The Jaw and Teeth

The mouth is composed of the maxilla (upper jaw) and the mandible (lower jaw), which are connected by the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Teeth are categorized by their function:

• Incisors: Used for cutting, nibbling, and grooming.
• Canines: Used to bite, hold, and tear food; these are single-rooted and prone to fracture.
• Premolars: Used for cutting, holding, and chewing.
• Molars: Used for grinding food.

Microscopic Structures

Understanding the layers of the tooth is vital for diagnosing disease:

• Enamel: The hardest tissue in mammals, covering the crown.
• Dentin: The bulk of the tooth that surrounds the pulp; it can detect heat and cold.
• Pulp: The core of the tooth containing connective tissue, nerves, and blood vessels.
• Cementum: Hard tissue covering the root.
• Periodontal Ligament: Tough tissue that attaches the tooth to the alveolar bone (the socket).
• Gingiva: The "gums" that cover the peridontium. The space between the free gingiva and the tooth is the sulcus; if this space expands, it is known as a pocket.

Dentition Classifications

Animals are classified based on how their teeth develop and their shape:

• Heterodont: Having teeth of mixed forms and functions (e.g., incisors vs. molars).
• Diphyodont: Having two sets of teeth: deciduous (primary) and permanent.
• Anelodont: Having a limited period of growth as they develop roots.
• Brachyodont: Having a root that is longer than the crown.
• Hypsodont: Having a long crown and a short root, with much of the crown held in reserve in the alveolar bone.
• Elodont: Teeth that grow throughout life and never develop roots (e.g., rabbits).

Dental Charting and Numbering

Accurate documentation is essential for tracking dental disease. The Triadan Numbering System is used to divide the mouth into eight quadrants to identify specific teeth.

Technicians must be familiar with the specific dental formulas for different species to ensure correct charting. For example, while dogs and cats are both heterodont and diphyodont, their adult tooth counts differ:

• Adult Canine: 42 teeth.
• Adult Feline: 30 teeth.

Study Note: Dental Formulas When calculating dental formulas, remember to account for both sides of the mouth. For a puppy with a formula of $1-3/3 \text{ C}-1/1 \text{ P}-3/3 \text{ M}-0/0$, the total number of teeth is calculated as: $\begin{aligned} 14 \times 2 = 28 \end{aligned}$ This accounts for the left and right sides of the maxilla and mandible.