What a proper cleaning includes
AAHA's dental guidelines for dogs and cats call for general anesthesia with monitoring, a full exam of every tooth, cleaning above and below the gumline, and dental x-rays. The American Veterinary Dental College opposes cleaning the teeth of an awake cat, because the area below the gumline cannot be cleaned or checked.
Why x-rays matter so much in cats
Cornell's veterinary college estimates that tooth resorption affects 20 to 60% of cats, and close to three quarters of cats aged five and older. The damage often starts below the gumline, so a full-mouth dental x-ray is the best way to find it.
Lines you will see on the estimate
- Exam and pre-anesthetic bloodwork
- Anesthesia, monitoring and IV fluids
- Full-mouth dental x-rays
- Scaling and polishing
- Extractions, priced per tooth, only known once the x-rays are read
- Pain medication to take home
Before you book
Phone two clinics and ask each for an itemized quote. Ask what the price covers, what might be added once your cat is examined or asleep, and whether they will call you before adding anything. A quote with every line written out is the only fair way to compare.
Prices shared by cat owners
Where these numbers come from
We never estimate or copy prices from elsewhere. Every figure on this page was shared by a cat owner, and a typical price only shows once five owners have shared one. Health facts on this page come from:
- AAHA, 2019 Dental Care Guidelines for Dogs and Cats. Checked October 25, 2026.
- American Veterinary Dental College, position statement on dental scaling without anesthesia. Checked October 25, 2026.
- Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Tooth Resorption. Checked October 25, 2026.
Prices differ a lot between towns and clinics, so treat these as a starting point and ask your vet for a quote.
