JANUARY 2008: JENNY

Jenny is a 3 year old, spayed female yellow lab. Jenny was about a year old when her owner accidentally hit her in the muzzle while hitting baseballs with a bat. She sustained significant damage to her left mandible and 208. Damage to the mandible was repaired at a university. They advised extraction of 208 at that time, which the owner declined due to finances. Now, 2 years later, she was presented for evaluation of her 208 as she had become sensitive on that side of her mouth. The tooth was fractured into 3 main sections and had a visible black pulp chamber. Extraction was the only option for this tooth. Pre-anesthetic bloodwork was normal and permission for surgical extraction has been granted by the owner.

Jenny was sedated and intubated with a cuffed endotracheal tube. The cuff was inflated. She was maintained on isoflurane and oxygen for the procedure. A regional block of 1 cc bupivicaine was performed. Dental x-rays were taken to assess the root structure which appears intact, with no periapical lucency. Incisions were made mesial and distal to the tooth to create a gingival flap and the gingival lifted from the buccal bone with a periosteal elevator. A crosscut taper fissure bur was used to section the tooth between each of the three roots. A round bur was used to remove some of the buccal alveolar bone to make removal of the mesial and distal buccal roots easier and winged elevators used to remove each of the three roots. The mesial palatal root was remove by elevating. The sockets were cleaned after the extraction with a surgical curette to remove any unhealthy tissue and the sharp bony edges were smoothed with a football shaped diamond bur. The gingiva was sutured over the area with 4-0 gut in a simple interrupted pattern. Jenny was given meloxicam injectable post procedure. Her anesthesia and recovery were smooth and without problems.

Jenny was sent home on meloxicam once a day, tramadol three times a day for pain. Both medications were to be continued for 5 days. Amoxicillin 500mg was given twice a day for 7 days to prevent infection. She was to be fed soft or softened food for 10 days and be rechecked at that time.