We assess each patient individually, considering their health history, age and any concurrent medical conditions, to tailor the anaesthetic approach to their specific needs.
Ensuring your dog’s mouth is comfortable is crucial for their overall happiness. For those with linguoverted teeth, ball therapy offers a fun, non-invasive intermittent orthodontic intervention to improve pet dental health and wellbeing.
At Advanced Animal Dentistry, we believe every pet deserves to live their best life with their best smile. We are often asked about ball therapy. Here’s what you need to know about how it works and its benefits, how it compares to other treatments and how to choose the right ball.
Understanding Ball Therapy
Ball therapy isn’t suitable for all pets. It requires the right conditions to be effective and is not particularly useful for deciduous teeth or fully erupted permanent teeth. It is also only useful for a short period of time.
As an intermittent orthodontic intervention, ball therapy applies targeted force to move teeth, but unlike human braces, the force is applied periodically rather than continuously. We recommend ball therapy for dogs with linguoverted mandibular canines, a condition where the lower canines are angled too far towards the tongue, causing trauma to the roof of the mouth. By applying the appropriate force during the eruption of these teeth (typically between four and a half and five and a half months of age), we can guide them into a better, atraumatic position.
Ball therapy is a safe and non-invasive treatment for dogs, with no negative side effects even if it’s not successful.
In contrast to other treatments for linguoverted mandibular canines, many of which require the removal of part or all of the tooth to prevent trauma, ball therapy helps maintain the teeth without the need for extraction.
"Ball therapy gently tips base‑narrow lower canines outward — no anaesthetic, just structured, supervised play.”
About linguoverted mandibular canines
Linguoverted canine teeth in pets, also referred to as base narrow or inverted canines, are one of the most common orthodontic concerns we see in veterinary dental practice. It happens when the lower canine teeth are positioned too far inward, causing them to contact the soft tissue of the upper mouth.
This misalignment can result in significant discomfort and trauma, potentially leading to severe issues like oronasal fistulas, where a hole forms between the mouth and nasal cavity.
Treatment is tailored to the patient’s age, underlying cause and tooth position.
Alternative treatments for linguoverted canines include early extraction of the deciduous teeth or using a dental appliance to guide the eruption of the permanent teeth.
Removing the deciduous canines can relieve trauma to the soft tissue and allow the permanent teeth to erupt more naturally.
For erupted teeth, in addition to extraction, treatment options include gingivoplasty and crown extensions. Gingivoplasty reshapes the space between the upper third incisor and canine to guide the erupting lower canine into position, while crown extensions help tilt the teeth into better alignment.
Choosing the right ball
Choosing the right ball for ball therapy is essential to ensure the treatment is safe for the dog’s teeth and has the best possible chance of being successful.
The ball should be made of dense rubber that is somewhat difficult for the dog to compress, like the rubber used in KONGs™. If it’s too easy to squash, it won’t apply enough force to move the canines. However, if it’s completely rigid (like hard plastic), it could damage the teeth.
The surface of the ball must be smooth to allow the teeth to slide over it. Any rough material can trap dirt when wet with saliva, which could then abrade and damage the teeth.
Size is also crucial. The ball needs to be just the right size—not too small, not too large. Ideally, it should be about 50% wider than the space between the lower canines.
"Start while the permanent lower canines are erupting for the best results and fewer invasive procedures later.”
Implementation Tips
Make ball therapy enjoyable for your dog by adding a fun element, such as spreading peanut butter on the ball or inside it. Encouraging your dog to chase and retrieve the ball can help keep them engaged while benefiting the therapy.
Tug-of-war is another great way to enhance the effectiveness of ball therapy. Using a ball with a rope through it encourages the dog to apply more force. Aim to perform ball therapy at least three times daily for 15 minutes each session.
Remember, ball therapy isn’t a solution for all cases of linguoverted canines. However, it is a low-risk intervention that can be effective for many dogs. It’s important to have the dog evaluated first to rule out other potential treatments or underlying issues.
