Dental disease is one of the most common and preventable health concerns in dogs and cats. At Yorkson Creek Veterinary Hospital, our dental care services in Langley address the full range of oral health needs, from professional cleanings and dental X-rays to scaling, polishing, and extractions. Most pets show signs of dental disease by three years of age, and many cases go unnoticed at home until the condition is advanced. Regular professional dental care and consistent at-home oral hygiene are the most effective ways to protect your pet's oral and overall health.
Professional dental cleanings at our Langley clinic are performed under general anesthesia to allow a thorough, safe cleaning of every tooth surface, including the subgingival space below the gumline where dental disease develops. This is where plaque hardens into tartar, bacteria accumulate, and the damage to gums and bone begins. Anesthesia-free dental cleanings do not provide access to this critical area and are not equivalent to professional cleanings. After each cleaning, we perform a complete oral examination and a dental chart noting every tooth's health status.
Dental radiographs reveal what cannot be seen above the gumline. The majority of each tooth structure sits below the gum surface, where conditions such as root abscesses, bone loss, resorptive lesions in cats, and impacted teeth are invisible without imaging. We take full-mouth dental radiographs as part of every complete dental cleaning at our Langley clinic. Dental X-rays allow us to make fully informed decisions about which teeth require extraction and which are healthy, avoiding unnecessary procedures while identifying issues that would otherwise progress untreated and cause ongoing pain.
When a tooth is damaged, fractured, severely infected, or affected by an irreversible resorptive lesion, extraction is the most appropriate way to relieve pain and prevent further infection. We perform extractions with attention to tissue handling and postoperative comfort. Multi-rooted teeth are carefully sectioned and extracted in individual roots to protect surrounding tissue. Every extraction is followed by socket closure and a complete postoperative pain management plan. Most pets eat and feel noticeably more comfortable within one to two days of dental extractions once the source of ongoing pain has been removed.
Scaling removes tartar and calculus deposits from tooth surfaces using specialized hand instruments and ultrasonic scalers. Calculus accumulates in layers over time and harbors bacteria that cause gum inflammation and bone loss. Both above-gumline and below-gumline scaling are performed at our Langley clinic during every professional cleaning. Subgingival scaling is only safely performed under general anesthesia, which is one of the key reasons that anesthesia is required for a complete dental procedure.
Polishing follows scaling and smooths the surface of each tooth, removing microscopic irregularities where bacteria can re-adhere more readily. A smooth tooth surface slows the rate of new tartar buildup and is an important finishing step in every professional cleaning. Polishing alone cannot address deep infection or subgingival disease, but as part of the complete cleaning sequence it contributes meaningfully to the time before significant calculus reforms.
A complete dental prophylaxis appointment at our Langley clinic includes the full cleaning sequence along with a thorough oral health assessment. We evaluate gum health, tooth mobility, pocket depth, and the overall condition of every tooth and surrounding tissue. Findings are documented in a complete dental chart and discussed with you after the procedure. A home care plan including specific product recommendations is provided at every dental visit. Pets with moderate to severe disease may require a follow-up appointment or specialist referral for advanced procedures.
Book your pet's dental cleaning at Yorkson Creek Veterinary Hospital in Langley. Call (604) 510-7387 or schedule at yorksoncreekvet.ca/make-an-appointment. Early dental care prevents pain, tooth loss, and infection.
