Do you get frustrated when you call around and see the wide variety of prices for dentals depending on the clinic and don’t understand why it varies so much? Or grow even more frustrated when a clinic wont’ give you an estimate over the phone?
Here are a few tips to help you in making the best choice in finding dental care for your pet. Make sure you are comparing apples to apples when getting a quote from veterinary offices with these questions:
- Does the price include dental x-rays?
Dental radiographs allow the veterinarian to examine the teeth below the gum line. Unfortunately, dogs and cats cannot always tell us where it hurts. Using dental radiographs allows a veterinarian to determine if a tooth is diseased and create a plan of action for making your pet feel better. - Does the price include cleaning teeth only or does it include possible extractions?
Oral surgery is more extensive than just a dental cleaning. When we think about going to our own dentist a “dental” is just a cleaning. However, when you need a cavity filled, a root canal, or a tooth removed then it becomes oral surgery. Extraction of teeth are the most common performed oral surgery in dogs and cats. This is surgery in the mouth to remove the teeth. - Does the clinic do buccal flaps?
Buccal flaps allow a veterinarian to remove teeth and the suture close the resulting open socket. This allows for the patient to recover faster and be back to their normal playful selves. - Does the price include all of the costs such as pre-surgical blood work, anesthesia, pain medication so you won’t be surprised by extras?
Most clinics will not want to give a full estimate over the phone because we aren’t going to know what is going on in your pets mouth until we can do a full exam and get all the information so we can give you the most realistic quote possible.
We hope this helps explain why some quotes may vary so greatly between clinics. Call us to discuss your pet’s dental needs.
