Crown Amputation

Has crown amputation been mentioned to you when discussing extraction of your pet’s teeth? Crown amputation with intentional root retention is a procedure that may be appropriate in select circumstances when performing dental treatment on your pet.  

Crown amputation with intentional root retention will most commonly be performed in pets with tooth resorption. Tooth resorption occurs very commonly in older cats. It is also being detected more frequently in our aging canine patients.  

We do not always understand the underlying reasons as to why tooth resorption occurs, but we do understand how it occurs. Essentially, specialised cells called odontoclasts (responsible for resorbing the roots of the deciduous teeth prior to them being lost) become active later in life and begin to eat the roots of the permanent teeth. Certain types of tooth resorption will cause pain and discomfort in your pet and as such treatment of affected teeth is recommended in most cases.  

There are numerous types of tooth resorption. These different types of tooth resorption cannot be differentiated without dental radiographs. Dental radiographs form an essential role in the diagnosis and treatment planning in patients with tooth resorption and should always be obtained. In cases where the teeth are being replaced by bone, the ligament anchoring the tooth and bone has been lost and no evidence of inflammation or infection is present standard extraction technique with removal of the entire root may not be practical or possible. In these cases, crown amputation may be an appropriate choice for your pet.  

During this procedure, the crown of the tooth (component of the tooth above the gum) is removed and root material is intentionally left behind. The extraction site is sutured closed and the remaining root material left behind will hopefully, continue to be replaced by bone over time. 

This procedure is far less invasive that attempting to extract a tooth root that is being invaded and replaced by bone. With appropriate case selection complications associated with this form of treatment are rare.  

We do recommend that patients with tooth resorption and those having had crown amputation procedures performed have follow-up dental radiographs performed every 6-12 months. This is to ensure no concerns are detected with the crown amputated tooth roots and that additional teeth are not developing radiographic signs of tooth resorption.