While he is under have his teeth cleaned silly.

It wont make a 9 year olds teeth white but it will help him to not have to go back to surgery again next year for another cavity.

I have to ask though. What did this vet really do last year or what did you authorize him to do? Somebody dropped the ball.

While he is under have his teeth cleaned
YES, I agree with gammyt, but leaving the silly out..
Why weren't you happy with the results last year? I have to admit that I'm surprised the cavity developed so quickly, but some cats have bad teeth and this extraction is going to help your cat.

One of my cats (almost 12yrs old) never had her teeth cleaned and she is fine.
Another one (13 yrs old) had dental work twice, 2 years apart, and besides cleaning, had quite a few extractions. Nothing in the last 3 years.
My 3rd cat had dental work (one extraction plus cleaning) only once 7 years ago.

It all depends on your cat's dental health. Has your vet discussed dietary options for better teeth with you?
Hopes this helps,
Anne-Marie

Cats don't really get cavities. They do undergo a weird process where they resorb their teeth for some reason (it's not known why). This can expose the root and allow a direct access to the bloodstream for bacteria to enter and cause septicemia, leading to serious organ damage or even death.

Every cat (and dog) is different in their dental needs. Some almost never need dental prophies, others need them a lot. I know a pair of bichon frises who get dental prophies every 6 months, and they really need it! OTOH my mom's dog never had a prophy in 14 years, and her teeth were in great shape. So it really depends on the individual. I would at least say that all dogs and cats need to have an oral exam every year, and a prophy recommendation made on the results of the exam.

I would ask specifically what is involved in cleaning your cat's teeth. Some places do a crappy job IMHO in order to keep costs down. They should have the cat intubated and fully anesthetized (not just sedated), they should use an an ultrasonic scaler and polisher on both sides of all teeth and up under the gumline (some places just crack off the obvious tartar and don't polish, which makes it easier for bacteria and tartar to come back), they should probe all the teeth for pockets around the gums. I'm a little concerned that they even offered to just extract the bad tooth without doing a full dental prophy. Unless of course he had just had a prophy and then fractured a tooth or something. You can miss early signs of disease by not doing the full prophy.

anne marie and meghane, thanks for your responses. Gammy, it is odd to be called "silly" for asking a question: that's what these forums are for, right?

meghane, the vet did suggest I do the extraction with a full cleaning. The expense ($350) has me concerned since this is a difficult time financially and this cat has already cost me nearly $2000. this year (thyroid radiation, teeth cleaning last year, and more). It just seems endless and he's only nine year's old. Still, it is clear that the tooth must come up at this point. I'm going to have a close talk with the vet today about the overall condition of his teeth and whether doing another cleaning this year will last for at least two years.

Hi Marita...
My girls didn't need their teeth cleaned until I'd had them for seven years. I have heard that once they do have their teeth cleaned, the plaque will build up more quickly and they'll need a cleaning sooner. I have no idea why this is, but I was looking at my older gal's teeth tonight and I can see the crud starting to build up again. I bet she'll need them cleaned again next year, and she only had them cleaned for the first time last year. Go figure! Good luck...