Montana Pet Dentistry and Oral Surgery - Bozeman

06/17/2024

❓Did you know that oral health can affect other organs?❓ 🐾The bacteria from periodontal disease can get into your pets bloodstream and travel to other organs affecting them. 🐾If your pet is already diagnosed and dealing with health issues, their oral health can positively or negatively affect those health issues. 👩🏼‍💻Check out our website for more information on oral health! 📞 Call us today at 406-599-4789 to make an appointment.

06/10/2024

Are you looking to work in veterinary specialty? Are you interested in veterinary dentistry or gaining incredible surgical experience? 👀 We are seeking an experienced vet tech (CVT/LVT preferred but not required) - would prefer someone who has experience with anesthesia and scaling/polishing as well as performing dental radiographs.🪥 Lots of training provided and a warm and welcoming team focused on your veterinary career growth. 📈 Monday-Thursday daytime schedule (no weekends) 🎉🥳, competitive pay, health/dental/vision insurance plans, 401K benefits, CE allowance, and PTO Apply on Indeed via the website link on the post! 🦷💙.

06/10/2024

Have you been wondering what you can do to help your pet’s oral health? Visit our blog for more information: www.montanapetdentist.com/importance-of-home-dental-care-for-pets/

06/03/2024

**IMPORTANT ALERT**

We are having internet and phone issues! If you have trouble reaching us on our main phone number, please cal our alternate phone number, 406-589-4563. We are still able to schedule appointments at this time.

We are hoping to have the internet and phones restored soon. Thank you!

05/23/2024

Happy Snowy Thursday! Today we are hosting a continuing education for technicians. Lauren Beck, LVT VTS (Dentistry) from Learn Veterinary Dentistry is here sharing her extensive knowledge with everyone. Dr. Martin Kennedy DVM, DACVAA is remotely hosting the anesthesia discussion. He is a board-certified anesthesiologist and a great resource for us here at Montana Pet Dentistry! We currently have some openings for the lecture portion of this class hosted again on Friday, June 7th. Visit learnvetdentistry.com to sign up for that class today!

05/17/2024

Don't forget to follow us on Instagram!

05/14/2024

Who doesn't love fun cat facts? 😻🐾❤️

02/14/2024

Happy Valentine’s Day! 💕🥰🐾

We hope everyone is enjoying their chocolate and flowers on this super sweet day. Don’t forget your furry friends, but make sure to give them an appropriate treat to show your love!

On this day full of sweet treats, we wanted to take a moment to talk about dental caries – commonly referred to as cavities- in dogs. As most people know, an excess of sugar and poor oral hygiene can result in dental caries in humans. But what about our dogs, can they get caries? The answer is YES!

Dogs commonly get carious lesions in their maxillary first molar teeth on the occlusal surface. Although, these lesions are not limited to specific teeth. Carious lesions typically present with unpleasant odor, discoloration, along with weakened enamel and dentin. If left untreated these lesions can compromise the structure of the tooth and expose the sensitive inner pulp chamber. These lesions can be painful and cause tooth sensitivity in your pet.

These carious lesions can be detected and treated by your board-certified veterinary dentist through the use of special instruments and diagnostic imaging. Caries will continue to progress unless treated. The severity of these lesions can vary, so it is important to bring your pet in for their annual dental cleanings to stay on top of their oral health. Depending on the severity of the caries, it may be treated with restoration therapy.

Want to learn more about dental caries or have a question about your pets' oral health? Call us today to schedule an appointment at 406-599-4789. Or visit us online at montanapetdentist.com.

02/13/2024

As some of you may know, our former practice manager, Lauren, has taken a new position within our company. We are so excited for Lauren to continue sharing her knowledge of veterinary dentistry with others and know she will be successful in this new journey! We are hoping she can return to Bozeman to teach classes at our location in the future.

Everyone wish Lauren luck! ♥️🥳

Lauren Beck CVT, VTS (dentistry) graduated with her associate degree in animal science, in 2009 from the College of Southern Idaho. She worked at a general practice in Bozeman Montana after that and soon realized her passion was veterinary dentistry. She began working with a board-certified veterinary dentist two days a month and after a few more years she decided to start her journey to specialize in dentistry. Lauren became a VTS in veterinary dentistry in 2021. At this point she teamed up with the Animal Dental Care group and started a veterinary dentistry practice. She then led the talented team at Montana Pet Dentistry & Oral Surgery in Bozeman Montana and helped open Missoula Pet Dentistry and Oral Surgery. She has 15 years of experience as a certified veterinary technician and worked with board certified veterinary dentist Dr. Tony Woodward for 12 of those, operating on cats and dogs.

Lauren grew up on a ranch in nearby Manhattan, Montana, where she has raised several dogs, cats, goats, chicken and turkeys. While Lauren is not working, she enjoys hunting, fly fishing, camping, snowboarding/skiing and enjoying all Montana has to offer.

Lauren has now moved with her Fiancé, Travis, and her puppy to rural Arkansas. Here she is starting a new adventure dedicated to teaching others everything she has learned the past 15 years. She plans on traveling to all of veterinary hospitals in the Veterinary Dental group Holdings to help technicians all over the country gain knowledge and understanding in veterinary dentistry.

02/13/2024

We would like to introduce our patient, Lloyd! 😍

Lloyd presented to us for fractures on his mandibular first molar teeth. The mandibular first molar teeth (tooth numbers 309 and 409) are large chewing teeth in your dogs’ mouth located in their lower jaw. They are often referred to as carnassial teeth. Lloyd’s primary veterinarian referred him to us for potential treatment options. His owners chose to visit us at Montana Pet Dentistry & Oral Surgery for a complete oral health assessment and treatment (COHAT). A complete oral exam, dental cleaning, and cone-beam CT imaging were completed. Fortunately, there was no involvement of the pulp chamber, so root canal therapy or extraction therapy were not needed. The fractures on these teeth involved enamel and dentin only. These fractures are commonly referred to as uncomplicated crown fractures. The affected teeth were treated with odontoplasty bonded sealant therapy. The fracture sites were made smooth, followed by an application of a dental resin material that will protect the underlying tooth structure. As always, we recommend no bones, antlers, or hard chews for our furry friends as this can lead to damaged teeth. We all adored Lloyd and are so happy we could help him and his parents. ❤🐾🥰

01/25/2024

Introducing Dr. Guillory, our newest team member at Montana Pet Dentistry and Oral Surgery! ✨

Dr. Melissa Guillory is a Louisiana native and a graduate of the Atlantic Veterinary College in Prince Edward Island, Canada. She has worked in primary veterinary care in Juneau, Alaska, as well as Great Falls, Montana before focusing on feline medicine in Colorado. A love for felines triggered an additional passion for dentistry and oral surgery. She has completed a veterinary dental residency with the goal of being board certified by the American Veterinary Dental College. She is very passionate about providing optimal oral health for all patients and has a particular interest in feline oral disease. In addition to dentistry, she is a yoga practitioner and teacher. She enjoys reading, baking, and hiking. She and her husband Jesse (also a veterinarian) have two dogs, and 5 cats.

Stay tuned for our upcoming Open House event this Fall to meet and greet our team in Bozeman! 🐱

12/21/2023

Meet Kennedy! 🐶❤

Kennedy presented to us for evaluation of a fractured left upper fourth premolar tooth. This is the main chewing tooth in the upper jaw, which makes it the most commonly fractured tooth in the dog. Because it is so important, this is a tooth we try to save whenever possible. The tooth was fractured with pulp (nerve) exposure and was treated with root canal therapy. Treatment went very well, and you can see
the filling inside the tooth and the restorations in the attached radiographs. All the areas that are white were full of infection before treatment! The Cone Beam CT image showed large areas of bone damage around the ends of all three root in this tooth. This is from long-term infection and should heal over the next few months. We will want to re-radiograph that tooth in 6-12 months to assess healing. The fracture of the tooth was almost certainly caused by chewing on hard objects. It is never a good idea to allow your pet to chew on objects such as hard bones, hard plastic toys or antlers! If you can’t bend the toy with your fingers, it is probably too hard for your pet to be chewing on!

Kennedy is a sweet girl, and we are so glad that we could help her feel better! 🥰

12/20/2023

Our Pet of the Week this week is Faith! 🐶😍

Faith came to see us for treatment of her base narrow primary (baby) canine teeth. She loved getting all of the attention from our staff, and was a huge fan of belly rubs! 🥰

12/14/2023

Our Pets of the Week this week are Yvette and Gigi! 🐶❤

Yvette came to see us today for a dental cleaning, and Gigi tagged along for emotional support! 🥰 they came in wearing their matching Santa dresses, and they couldn't have looked cuter! 🎅

11/29/2023

Meet Emmit! 🐶❤

We commonly help out animals up for adoption at the local animal shelter, Heart of the Valley. Emmit recently came to the shelter and presented to us for evaluation of dental disease. His problems seemed to be more extensive than the shelter vets are used to dealing with. His teeth were cleaned and polished, and full mouth dental x-rays were obtained. Emmit had a number of teeth that were fractured with exposure of the dentin. Dental x-rays did not show any sign of infection inside those teeth at this time, so the fracture sites were smoothed and the exposed dentin was sealed with bonded resin. The fracture on the left upper fourth premolar extended under the gumline, causing more advanced periodontal disease on this tooth. This area of bone loss was treated with deep root therapy and the placement of a long acting antibiotic gel. Emmit’s right lower canine tooth was fractured with exposure of the pulp (nerve) chamber. That tooth was treated with root canal therapy, and treatment went very well! No other dental problems were identified.

A huge thank you to Heart of the Valley Animal Shelter for bringing Emmit to see us! He is the biggest sweetheart, and he will soon be up for adoption there! Whoever adopts him will be getting a happy dog, full of energy!

11/23/2023

Happy Thanksgiving from our client and patient relations specialist, Ms. Bella Woodward, and the rest of the Montana Pet Dentistry & Oral Surgery team! ❤🦃

We are all so incredibly thankful for each and every one of you!

11/16/2023

Meet Emmett! 😻❤️

Emmett presented to us for evaluation of severe oral inflammation. He had very reddened, raw gum tissues around all his teeth. Additionally, there were swollen raw areas in the oropharynx (the back of his throat). This condition is commonly referred to as “stomatitis”, which is fairly common in cats. Effected cats commonly drool excess saliva, have a foul mouth odor and exhibit a decreased appetite. While the exact cause is unknown, it may be due to an overactive immune response to the plaque that forms on the teeth. In most cases, extraction of all the teeth is required for resolution of the problem. Some cats require additional medical therapy after their teeth are extracted. While this sounds like an aggressive treatment option, most patients are back to eating normally shortly after treatment. This condition should not be confused with a similar problem sometimes seen in cats under a year of age, which can usually be resolved without extraction of all the teeth. All of Emmett's teeth were extracted, and the sites were closed with absorbable suture material. This has a very good chance of resolving Emmett's problems. He is a sweet little kitty, and we wish him the best during his recovery! ❤️

11/16/2023

Our Pets of the Week this week are Elmer Flood and Lady May! 🐶😍

They both came to see us for dental cleanings! They were both the sweetest little angels, and we enjoyed having them here together! 🥰

10/18/2023

Our Pet of the Week this week is Czar! 🐶🥰

Czar came to see us because his regular vet noted some enamel defects and tooth resorption. The teeth with enamel defects were smoothed, and the exposed dentin was sealed with bonded resin. The teeth with severe tooth resorption were extracted.

The big ball of fluff did great during his visit, and we are so happy that we could help him feel better! ❤

10/13/2023

Our second Introduction to Veterinary Dentistry & Radiology for Technicians CE class went amazing! Thank you so much to everyone who attended! 🥰🦷

10/12/2023

Our Pet of the Week this week is Winnie! 🥰🐶

Winnie came to see us for a base narrow malocclusion and retained primary (baby) canine teeth. In order to resolve this issue, we extracted the retained primary teeth and created gingival ramps above her upper adult canine teeth. This should help guide her base narrow left lower canine tooth into a more comfortable position.

Winnie enjoyed hanging out with our technician, Summer, after her procedure! ❤️

10/05/2023

Meet Vader! 🐶🥰

Vader presented to us for a dental cleaning and evaluation. After his teeth were cleaned and polished, full mouth dental x-rays were obtained. Vader had a number of fractured teeth, probably caused from chewing on hard objects. His left upper third incisor was fractured with exposure of the pulp (nerve) chamber and had been abscessed for some time as evidenced by the large amount of bone damage around the end of the root. That tooth was extracted and the site was closed with absorbable suture material. A number of other teeth were fractured with exposure of the dentin. Dental x-rays did not show any sign of infection inside those teeth at this time. Those fracture sites were smoothed, and the exposed dentin was sealed with bonded resin. He had a number of teeth with root resorption, also caused by chewing on hard objects. In some cases, the root resorption had extended to the oral cavity. Those teeth were extracted, and the sites were closed with absorbable suture material. We strongly recommend to steer away from hard chew toys such as cow hooves, antlers, hard plastic chew bones, or beef bones!

10/03/2023

Our Pet of the Week this week is Starbuck! 🐶😍

Starbuck came to us because he had base narrow deciduous (baby) canine teeth. We treated this by creating gingival ramps in front of both upper canine teeth. This should allow his adult teeth to erupt into a more normal position!

He was the biggest sweetheart, and we enjoyed giving him lots of love and cuddles during his visit with us! 🥰

09/27/2023

We have one spot left for our upcoming CE on October 13th! 🦷👀

Come join us for 8 hours of continuing education! For information on pricing, or to sign up, please visit out website at https://www.montanapetdental.com/ or give us a call at 406-599-4789.

09/14/2023

Our Pet of the Week this week is Zeus! 🥰🐶

Zeus came to see us for a dental cleaning and a few extractions. He was such a snuggle bug, and he loved sitting in our laps while we worked!

09/08/2023

Our Pet of the Week this week is Peach! 😍

Peach came to see us for the extraction of a retained primary (baby) canine tooth! She walked right into the clinic and made herself at home, and we loved having her here! 🐶🥰

09/07/2023

Our next CE class date has been confirmed for October 13th, 2023! 😁🦷

Come join us for 8 hours of continuing education! For information on pricing, or to sign up, please visit out website at https://www.montanapetdental.com/ or give us a call at 406-599-4789.

08/31/2023

Meet Bruiser! 🐶

Bruiser presented to us for evaluation of a fracture of the right mandible. This fracture was a pathologic fracture caused by severe periodontal disease. This is commonly seen in small breed dogs with severe dental disease. Dental x-rays showed almost all his teeth had severe periodontal disease, and his left mandible was also very close to being fractured from dental disease. None of his other teeth had a good long-term prognosis for function, so his remaining teeth were extracted and the surgical sites were closed with absorbable suture material. This case definitely illistrates the importance of home care and routine dental cleanings! If you are interested in learning more about home care for your pet, or the importance of routine dental cleanings, please check out some of the blogs our very own Dr. Tony Woodward wrote on our website, montanapetdental.com!

08/30/2023

Our Pet of the Week this week is Troy! 🐶😍

Troy came to see us for a problem with his jaw. He really enjoyed cuddling with us during his visit! Stay tuned, because we will be doing another post soon with more information about his case!