Broken Baby Tooth

[RallyValley]

My pup broke a tooth, I too ummmed and ached about getting it out, spoke to a couple of vets who gave me the all clear to leave it in, then it went black and the gum became inflamed, went and got it out....

Now the adult tooth has an odd stain on part of the lower part of the tooth no vet has ever seen before. If I could have my time over again that tooth would have gone right away!!

[oakway]

It is so hard to get the message through on the internet, but here goes.

The baby teeth in dogs start to fall out from an early age. Usually puppies from about 6 months are starting to get what we call a full mouth. That is most of their adult teeth.

The baby teeth act as guide posts for the adult teeth to come through in the correct position. In some cases the baby teeth usually the canines don't shed correctly and they need to be removed. Usually the adult teeth can be seen and hopefully they are coming down in the correct position. When babies break their teeth it is not necessary to race out and have them removed. It is necessary to check the mouth daily or more to keep an eye as to what's happening.

It is "usually" not the broken tooth that infects its the muck that goes into the hole that's left and causes the infection. Now is the time to remove the tooth and pray that the adult tooth comes down in the correct position.

If you have a beautiful family pet it will not be as necessary to be as concerned over the tooth coming down in the correct position as the person who is planning to show their dog.

We have standards that give the requirements as to the dentition of your particular breed and if the mouth does not conform to the standard set out, it will lessen the chances of the dog ever being a big winner.

So you can see to the person that shows their dog, the teeth can play an important role in its life. Also the cleanliness of the teeth also play a huge part in the dogs life, just the same as yours do for you.

I have never had a vet advise me to have a broken tooth/teeth removed and can assure you that I have had plenty of broken baby teeth and seen plenty of others.

I do not pay the vet for unnecessary work but would not hesitatet to have the puppy at the vets should it be necessary.

[millhouse]

It is so hard to get the message through on the internet, but here goes.

The baby teeth in dogs start to fall out from an early age. Usually puppies from about 6 months are starting to get what we call a full mouth. That is most of their adult teeth.

The majority of dogs should have a full mouth BY 6 months.

The baby teeth act as guide posts for the adult teeth to come through in the correct position.

The deciduous teeth are not required to "guide" the permanent teeth into position.

In some cases the baby teeth usually the canines don't shed correctly and they need to be removed. Usually the adult teeth can be seen and hopefully they are coming down in the correct position. When babies break their teeth it is not necessary to race out and have them removed. It is necessary to check the mouth daily or more to keep an eye as to what's happening.

It is "usually" not the broken tooth that infects its the muck that goes into the hole that's left and causes the infection. Now is the time to remove the tooth and pray that the adult tooth comes down in the correct position.

If you wait until you see signs of infection, you have waited too long. I would re-word what you wrote and say it IS "usually" the broken tooth that infects. When any tooth is fractured and the pulp is esposed (the inside chamber containing the nerves and blood vessels), it will die if it is not attended to within about 48 hours. 100% of dead teeth become infected. 100% of infected teeth develop abscesses. The developing abscess is at the root apex, the tip of the root. This is also where you have a developing adult tooth bud. The infection can cause major issues with the developing tooth, all the way up to killing it. This is not necessarily visible from the outside. Have a quick look a the photograph I have attached. This is in a 4.5 month old GSD that had broken a bay tooth. No one thought it was an issue. You can see what the crown looked like with the swabs over it, and then you can see the amazing amount of pus and muck that was around the root. This dog went on to erupt a deformed and discoloured canine tooth.

This will not occur in all cases, not even close. But if you can predict which one of those teeth will and won't be affected, you are doing well. With the amount of importance that is being placed on the cosmetics of the dog, I don't understand why it would be risked.

If you have a beautiful family pet it will not be as necessary to be as concerned over the tooth coming down in the correct position as the person who is planning to show their dog.

We have standards that give the requirements as to the dentition of your particular breed and if the mouth does not conform to the standard set out, it will lessen the chances of the dog ever being a big winner.

So you can see to the person that shows their dog, the teeth can play an important role in its life. Also the cleanliness of the teeth also play a huge part in the dogs life, just the same as yours do for you.

I have never had a vet advise me to have a broken tooth/teeth removed and can assure you that I have had plenty of broken baby teeth and seen plenty of others.

I do not pay the vet for unnecessary work but would not hesitatet to have the puppy at the vets should it be necessary.

I can only say you have been to vets that are not widely read or knowledgable in regards to dental matters.

___________

You're right oakway, it is hard to get the message across on the internet. I just re-read this post and it comes off pretty arrogant and cocky. It's late, it's all true, and I am not making this personal. Just need to correct wrong information when it is given.

Oh and Jumabaar - spot on.

[oakway]

It is so hard to get the message through on the internet, but here goes.

The baby teeth in dogs start to fall out from an early age. Usually puppies from about 6 months are starting to get what we call a full mouth. That is most of their adult teeth.

The majority of dogs should have a full mouth BY 6 months.

The baby teeth act as guide posts for the adult teeth to come through in the correct position.

The deciduous teeth are not required to "guide" the permanent teeth into position.

In some cases the baby teeth usually the canines don't shed correctly and they need to be removed. Usually the adult teeth can be seen and hopefully they are coming down in the correct position. When babies break their teeth it is not necessary to race out and have them removed. It is necessary to check the mouth daily or more to keep an eye as to what's happening.

It is "usually" not the broken tooth that infects its the muck that goes into the hole that's left and causes the infection. Now is the time to remove the tooth and pray that the adult tooth comes down in the correct position.

If you wait until you see signs of infection, you have waited too long. I would re-word what you wrote and say it IS "usually" the broken tooth that infects. When any tooth is fractured and the pulp is esposed (the inside chamber containing the nerves and blood vessels), it will die if it is not attended to within about 48 hours. 100% of dead teeth become infected. 100% of infected teeth develop abscesses. The developing abscess is at the root apex, the tip of the root. This is also where you have a developing adult tooth bud. The infection can cause major issues with the developing tooth, all the way up to killing it. This is not necessarily visible from the outside. Have a quick look a the photograph I have attached. This is in a 4.5 month old GSD that had broken a bay tooth. No one thought it was an issue. You can see what the crown looked like with the swabs over it, and then you can see the amazing amount of pus and muck that was around the root. This dog went on to erupt a deformed and discoloured canine tooth.

This will not occur in all cases, not even close. But if you can predict which one of those teeth will and won't be affected, you are doing well. With the amount of importance that is being placed on the cosmetics of the dog, I don't understand why it would be risked.

If you have a beautiful family pet it will not be as necessary to be as concerned over the tooth coming down in the correct position as the person who is planning to show their dog.

We have standards that give the requirements as to the dentition of your particular breed and if the mouth does not conform to the standard set out, it will lessen the chances of the dog ever being a big winner.

So you can see to the person that shows their dog, the teeth can play an important role in its life. Also the cleanliness of the teeth also play a huge part in the dogs life, just the same as yours do for you.

I have never had a vet advise me to have a broken tooth/teeth removed and can assure you that I have had plenty of broken baby teeth and seen plenty of others.

I do not pay the vet for unnecessary work but would not hesitatet to have the puppy at the vets should it be necessary.

I can only say you have been to vets that are not widely read or knowledgable in regards to dental matters.

___________

You're right oakway, it is hard to get the message across on the internet. I just re-read this post and it comes off pretty arrogant and cocky. It's late, it's all true, and I am not making this personal. Just need to correct wrong information when it is given.

Oh and Jumabaar - spot on.

LOL, LOL, Well thats what the professor at the Uni said go argure with him!!!!!!!

I show dogs and breed them and have done for many years and see iof you can win with a dog with an incorrect mouth. In some standards it can mean disqualification.!!!!!!!!!.

[millhouse]

LOL, LOL, Well thats what the professor at the Uni said go argure with him!!!!!!!

I show dogs and breed them and have done for many years and see iof you can win with a dog with an incorrect mouth. In some standards it can mean disqualification.!!!!!!!!!.

Absolutley. I happen to see many of your colleagues coming in trying to get Orthodontic work to correct these "incorrect mouths". I am well aware of the cosmetic issues involved with showing, I am just passing on the correct information about the health of people's animals.

....and just quickly oakway, I am the Professor at the uni, so I guess I would need to argue with myself?!.

Edited May 14, 2012 by millhouse