Dr. Robb Murphie has a special interest in veterinary dentistry and oral surgery. His initial interest in this field was actually during veterinary school. While working one summer for his dad at Boulevard Veterinary Hospital, a local veterinarian with an interest in veterinary dentistry and oral surgery frequently came in to perform numerous advanced dental and oral surgical procedures. Although veterinary schools do not generally offer many dental related courses, this exposure helped spark Dr. Robb’s interest in this field. Dr. Robb is always striving to stay as up to date as possible, and has traveled to Maryland on numerous occasions to complete many of the course offerings at The Animal Dental Training Center. Renowned veterinary dentist Dr. Ira Luskin heads this center, which is the first private post-graduate center for continuing education courses in veterinary dentistry and oral surgery. Visit The Animal Dental Training Center for further information.
Dr. Robb has had continuing education training at The University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. Visit PennVet Dentistry & Oral Surgery for more information.
We are pleased to offer state of the art equipment to perform your pet's dental procedure. The iM3 dental machine is a multifunctional device which allows us to provide the highest quality in oral care for your pets. The ultrasonic scaler thoroughly removes tartar-calculus/plaque in a gentle manner, which helps to minimize enamel/tooth surface damage. Our Licensed Veterinary Technicians have years of experience with dental anesthesia/analgesia, cleaning and scaling teeth, and dental radiology. They are thoroughly trained and proficient with the cleaning and scaling equipment, and are always pursuing new techniques to provide an excellent cleaning for your pet.
For oral surgery, the high speed hand piece provides continuous water cooling allowing us to section teeth/roots and remove bone in a precise manner that minimizes any concurrent trauma to adjacent tissue. The prophy angles (polishers) that we use effectively polish the teeth after the ultrasonic scaling, yet are gentle enough to no tear or cut soft tissue.
Good dental care at home, including brushing your pet’s teeth, incorporating dental health diets and other dental products can help reduce tartar formation and gum disease. Continual tartar accumulation will cause a pet’s gums to become inflamed and infected, commonly referred as gingivitis. This can eventually lead to the recession of gum tissue and bone, which loosens teeth. Anderson’s Corner Animal Hospital is well equipped to handle your pet’s dental needs, including:
Periodontal disease treatment
Oral fracture repair/Surgical stabilization
Surgical tooth/root extractions
Salivary Mucocele/Sialocele Removal
Gingivectomies
Feline Stomatitis Therapy
Feline resorptive lesion repair via extraction/tooth amputations
Feline mandibular symphysis separation repair
Oral mass/tumor removal/debulking
Rabbit/Avian/Reptile Oral Care
Deciduous (baby teeth) extractions
Dental Radiography
The digital dental x-ray machine is one of the most important advancements in veterinary dentistry. Many oral disease such as tooth root infections and bone/dentigerous cysts are now being found and diagnosed thanks to being able to take oral x-ray with digital quality and detail.
In many instances, there is no sign of a visible issue above the gum line, aside from pain. Digital x-rays allow us to detect issues, that would otherwise go untreated, and correct them before they can cause more harm. We will generally perform dental x-rays at the beginning of your pet’s procedure. This allows us to identify any issues your pet may have and discuss them with you before taking any action.
“I know how stressful it can be to have your pet under anesthesia, especially when they are older. I take anesthesia extremely seriously, it is the most important thing that we do. There are always risks, but I make darn sure to minimize them and get your buddy back home….and with a much happier mouth.”
Please see our Surgery page for more information.
Maintaining your pet’s oral health is an important part of helping them have a happy and healthy life. The oral exam is where it all begins….note that the first thing we tend to check during a physical exam involves opening and examining the oral cavity. Periodontal disease is the most common condition we see on a day-to-day basis. This can range from mild tartar build-up, to painful and infected teeth that need to be surgically extracted. Below are some excellent links regarding topics in veterinary dentistry and oral health care.
Periodontal Disease
Excellent article regarding this common condition and steps that can be taken for treatment and prevention of periodontal disease.
General Oral Health Care
Reviews ways to help maintain good oral health.
Rabbit Dental Diseases
Discusses numerous dental maladies that rabbits may come across