Removing complex teeth safely and with minimal impact.
When a dog’s baby teeth fail to fall out, it can cause improper alignment of adult teeth, increasing the risk of malocclusion and gum disease. One of the most common dental procedures in young pets is the removal of persistent deciduous canine teeth. While all pets have “baby” teeth, only some require removal.
What are they?
Like humans, dogs and cats develop two sets of teeth in their lives. Permanent “adult” teeth eventually replace the first set, known as deciduous or “baby” teeth.
Deciduous teeth are smaller versions of the adult teeth that follow, but there are fewer of them due to the limited space in a young animal’s mouth. Premolars have deciduous precursors (except premolar 1), while molars do not.
As sharp and cute as they may be, deciduous teeth aren’t functional for an animal’s entire life and are replaced by permanent dentition. Adult teeth start as tooth buds beneath the deciduous teeth, and as they erupt, they trigger resorption of the deciduous roots. Once this process is complete, the remaining portion of the deciduous tooth typically falls out on its own… in most cases.
“Persistent baby teeth can crowd or misalign adult teeth—creating pockets for debris and raising the risk of gum disease and misaligned bites.”
What problems occur?
Some deciduous teeth don’t undergo the proper root resorption needed for shedding, leading to the presence of both the deciduous and permanent versions of the tooth. This is problematic for the young animal because the deciduous tooth occupies the correct position, while the adult tooth has erupted in an incorrect one, often affecting the canine teeth.
The issues are twofold:
- The two teeth are tightly jammed together, creating a breeding ground for debris and increasing the risk of periodontal disease, potentially leading to the loss of both teeth.
- The permanent tooth is misaligned, causing malocclusion problems.
Both can be addressed by extracting the deciduous tooth, allowing the permanent tooth to take its place.
Deciduous teeth can also be fractured, leading to the same issues as a fractured permanent tooth. However, a complicating factor is that a dead, infected deciduous tooth has a developing permanent tooth at its base, right where the infection is being discharged. Fractured deciduous teeth must be extracted.
“Removing the entire retained baby tooth allows the adult tooth to settle into its proper position, supporting a healthy, pain-free mouth.”
Treatment
For best results, extract the persistent deciduous tooth as soon as it’s clear that it won’t shed naturally and the adult tooth is visible.
Extraction is not always straightforward. It’s crucial to remove the entire tooth, especially the root, as it causes the problem, not the visible crown. The adult tooth has erupted beside the deciduous root, leading to misalignment.
Removing the entire deciduous tooth can allow the adult tooth to shift into the correct position as it erupts. If done correctly and the adult tooth is still erupting, it will likely migrate into the space left by the extracted deciduous tooth, aligning properly.
If your pet has not lost their “baby” teeth and the adult teeth are present, they should have the persistent deciduous teeth removed. This will ensure you give your pet the best possible chance at having a healthy pain free mouth.
