Veterinary dentistry
Encyclopedia
Veterinary dentistry is the field of dentistry
applied to the care of animals
. It is the art and science of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of conditions, diseases, and disorders of the oral cavity, the maxillofacial region, and its associated structures as it relates to animal
s.
In the United States
, veterinary dentistry is one of 20 veterinary specialties
recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association
. Veterinary dentists offer services in the fields of endodontics
, oral and maxillofacial radiology
, oral and maxillofacial surgery
, oral medicine
, orthodontics
, pedodontics, periodontics, and prosthodontics
. Similar to human dentists, they treat conditions such as jaw
fracture
s, malocclusion
s, oral cancer
, periodontal disease
, and stomatitis
and other conditions unique to veterinary medicine (e.g. feline odontoclastic resorptive lesion
s).
Dentistry
Dentistry is the branch of medicine that is involved in the study, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the oral cavity, maxillofacial area and the adjacent and associated structures and their impact on the human body. Dentistry is widely considered...
applied to the care of animals
Veterinary medicine
Veterinary Medicine is the branch of science that deals with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, disorder and injury in non-human animals...
. It is the art and science of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of conditions, diseases, and disorders of the oral cavity, the maxillofacial region, and its associated structures as it relates to animal
Animal
Animals are a major group of multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and...
s.
In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, veterinary dentistry is one of 20 veterinary specialties
Veterinary specialties
A veterinary specialist is a veterinarian who specializes in a clinical field of veterinary medicine."A veterinary specialist, as recognized by the AVMA, is a graduate veterinarian who has successfully completed the process of board certification in an AVMA-recognized veterinary specialty...
recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association
American Veterinary Medical Association
The American Veterinary Medical Association , founded in 1863, is a not-for-profit association representing more than 81,500 U.S. veterinarians working in private and corporate practice, government, industry, academia, and uniformed services....
. Veterinary dentists offer services in the fields of endodontics
Endodontics
Endodontics is one of the dental specialties recognized by the American Dental Association, Royal College of Dentists of Canada, and Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons, and deals with the tooth pulp and the tissues surrounding the root of a tooth...
, oral and maxillofacial radiology
Radiology
Radiology is a medical specialty that employs the use of imaging to both diagnose and treat disease visualized within the human body. Radiologists use an array of imaging technologies to diagnose or treat diseases...
, oral and maxillofacial surgery
Oral and maxillofacial surgery
Oral and maxillofacial surgery is surgery to correct a wide spectrum of diseases, injuries and defects in the head, neck, face, jaws and the hard and soft tissues of the oral and maxillofacial region. It is an internationally recognized surgical specialty...
, oral medicine
Oral medicine
Oral medicine is the dental specialty placed at the interface between medicine and dentistry.- Scope :Oral medicine is concerned with diagnosis and non-surgical management of non-dental pathology affecting the oral and maxillofacial region, such as oral lichen planus, Behçet's disease and pemphigus...
, orthodontics
Orthodontics
Orthodontics, orthodontia, or orthodonture is the first specialty of dentistry that is concerned with the study and treatment of malocclusions , which may be a result of tooth irregularity, disproportionate jaw relationships, or both...
, pedodontics, periodontics, and prosthodontics
Prosthodontics
Prosthodontics, also known as dental prosthetics or prosthetic dentistry, is one of nine dental specialties recognized by the American Dental Association, Royal College of Dentists of Canada, and Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons...
. Similar to human dentists, they treat conditions such as jaw
Jaw
The jaw is any opposable articulated structure at the entrance of the mouth, typically used for grasping and manipulating food. The term jaws is also broadly applied to the whole of the structures constituting the vault of the mouth and serving to open and close it and is part of the body plan of...
fracture
Fracture
A fracture is the separation of an object or material into two, or more, pieces under the action of stress.The word fracture is often applied to bones of living creatures , or to crystals or crystalline materials, such as gemstones or metal...
s, malocclusion
Malocclusion
A malocclusion is a misalignment of teeth or incorrect relation between the teeth of the two dental arches. The term was coined by Edward Angle, the "father of modern orthodontics", as a derivative of occlusion, which refers to the manner in which opposing teeth meet.-Presentation:Most people have...
s, oral cancer
Oral cancer
Oral cancer is a subtype of head and neck cancer, is any cancerous tissue growth located in the oral cavity. It may arise as a primary lesion originating in any of the oral tissues, by metastasis from a distant site of origin, or by extension from a neighboring anatomic structure, such as the...
, periodontal disease
Periodontal disease
Periodontitis is a set of inflammatory diseases affecting the periodontium, i.e., the tissues that surround and support the teeth. Periodontitis involves progressive loss of the alveolar bone around the teeth, and if left untreated, can lead to the loosening and subsequent loss of teeth...
, and stomatitis
Stomatitis
Stomatitis is an inflammation of the mucous lining of any of the structures in the mouth, which may involve the cheeks, gums, tongue, lips, throat, and roof or floor of the mouth...
and other conditions unique to veterinary medicine (e.g. feline odontoclastic resorptive lesion
Feline odontoclastic resorptive lesion
Feline odontoclastic resorptive lesions is a disease in cats characterized by resorption of the tooth by odontoclasts, cells similar to osteoclasts. A FORL is also known as a neck lesion, cervical neck lesion, cervical line erosion, feline caries, or feline cavity. It is one of the most common...
s).
External links
Organizations:- Academy of Veterinary Dental Technicians
- Academy of Veterinary Dentistry
- American Society of Veterinary Dental Technicians
- American Veterinary Dental College
- American Veterinary Dental Society
- British Veterinary Dental Association
- European Veterinary Dental College
- European Veterinary Dental Society
- Veterinary Oral Health Council