Veterinary Dentistry Specialists first to apply human fracture repair technology to companion animals

Veterinary Dentistry Specialists (VDS), a veterinary specialty dental/oral surgery practice, has incorporated using bioresorbable, thermoplastic miniplates for companion animal patients at its Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania office.

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“My associate Dr Marissa Berman and I were the first in the United States to utilize this fantastic new technology for the repair of a jaw fracture in a dog: resorbable miniplates,” expressed John Lewis, VMD, DAVDC, a diplomate of the American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC) and founding fellow of the AVDC’s Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Fellowship, in a company release.¹ “This technology has been available in human maxillofacial surgery for a long time, but as is often the case, it takes a while for new techniques and equipment to ‘trickle down’ to our veterinary patients.”

At a veterinary conference in Florida last month, Lewis lectured on this breakthrough approach and spotlighted a puppy who recently benefited from miniplates. Dr Berman treated “Love,” a 6-month-old Chihuahua who experienced a transverse fracture of the right mandible. The puppy’s jaw healed well after the miniplate procedure, and this case plus others will be submitted in a case series to the Journal of Veterinary Dentistry.

The use of thermoplastic miniplates, which are different from the titanium plates traditionally used in veterinary dentistry and oral surgery, has benefits for some patients. They’re small, moldable, and safely absorbed by the body within a year, similar to dissolvable sutures. For pet owners whose dog or cat suffers a jaw fracture through injury or dental disease, the solution offers improved surgical outcomes with potentially fewer complications.

The pet dentistry field has been growing as more pet owners understand the importance of dental health to overall health. Because cleanings and extractions require general anesthesia for patient safety, practices like VDS approach advanced pet dental care and oral surgery with the same level of care offered to human patients. This results in advancements like thermoplastic miniplates.

Reference

Veterinary Dentistry Specialists first to apply human fracture repair technology to companion animal patients in the US. News release. Veterinary Dentistry Specialists. February 7, 2023. Accessed February 7, 2023. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230207005194/en/Veterinary-Dentistry-Specialists-First-to-Apply-Human-Fracture-Repair-Technology-to-Companion-Animal-Patients-in-the-US