12 Jul What to Do If Your Dog Breaks a Tooth
Tooth fractures are a common dental problem in dogs, because they can crack or break their teeth in so many different ways. Treatment may include pain management, a dental cleaning, a tooth extraction, or root canal therapy, depending on the case.
What Causes Tooth Fractures in Dogs?
Sometimes fractures can be caused by chewing inappropriate objects. Chewing on things that are too hard, such as real bones, rocks and sticks, horse or cow hooves, antlers, and even some chew toys (such as hard plastic or nylon bones) could make your dog break a tooth.
In some cases, a dog’s teeth may be more likely to fracture. If their teeth are weak or worn from previous damage, or if there are developmental defects in the tooth structure, they will be more likely to break. Inappropriate chewing behavior (such as chewing on a fence or cage) can also cause tooth fractures.
What Should You Do If Your Dog Breaks a Tooth?
Regardless of the cause, if you notice that your pet has fractured a tooth, one of the first steps is to take them to your veterinarian to assess the damage. Taking a “watch and see what happens” approach to a fractured tooth is never a good idea. Because the majority of dental problems are not visible to the naked eye, and because broken teeth can be very painful, a prompt response is always warranted.
Once your veterinarian has assessed your pet, they can provide options for the best course of action.
Does a Broken Tooth Need a Veterinary Dental Specialist?
Most veterinarians, although they are not dental specialists, will know when a specialist should be involved. Even if they have extensive dental training and greater capabilities than other general practice veterinarians, they may refer you to a dental specialist, like our Dr. Hewitt, for complex cases.
If your veterinarian finds that it is a complicated fracture, and the tooth’s pulp is exposed, your dog will need prompt treatment. When the pulp is exposed, bacteria from the mouth can cause infections. A tooth with infected pulp becomes inflamed, and eventually becomes necrotic (it dies).
An infected tooth also becomes a chronic source of bacterial invasion. Infections can affect the tissues around the tooth root and even get into the bloodstream itself. This results in inflammation and infections throughout the body that can damage many organ systems.
What Is the Treatment for a Complicated Tooth Fracture?
There are typically two treatment options with a tooth that has exposed pulp. Your dog will either need a tooth extraction or root canal therapy.
Option 1: Tooth Extraction
Regarding extraction, the advantages are that it is a single-step procedure that is usually less expensive than root canal therapy. (However, difficult extractions may be costly.) The disadvantages are that your dog loses the functional and structural benefits of the affected tooth. Plus, there is more pain and tissue damage caused by a surgical extraction, resulting in a longer recovery time.
There are also multiple complications that can result from a tooth extraction procedure. Complications can include fracture of the surrounding bone, excessive bleeding, nerve damage, perforation into the nasal cavity, air embolism, weakening of the lower jaw, broken root tips that cause chronic inflammation, infections, and other issues not listed here.
Option 2: Root Canal Therapy
The advantage with root canal therapy is that the tooth stays in the mouth and remains functional. A root canal helps the mouth maintain a more normal structure and appearance, and the procedure causes much less pain and damage to the oral structures than surgical extraction, resulting in more rapid recovery.
The disadvantages of root canal therapy are that there is typically an increased cost for root canal therapy compared to extraction. Follow-up dental imaging (x-rays and Cone-Beam CT) are required, and that there is a small chance of failure. With root canal therapy, anesthetized dental imaging should be performed 9 to 12 months after the root canal procedure in most cases, to make sure the procedure was successful.
What Is the Treatment for Simple Tooth Fractures?
If the tooth is fractured without pulp exposure, there are treatment options for that as well that you can discuss with your veterinarian. Some treatments include crown placement, composite restoration or dentin bonding.
Veterinary Dental Care in Las Vegas, Nevada
To sum it all up, addressing a fractured tooth promptly will prevent further dental issues and help your dog remain comfortable and pain-free.
Dr. Hewitt and the rest of our team at Animal Dental Specialists of Nevada are here to help you determine the best treatment. If your precious pet has a fractured tooth, contact us today to schedule an appointment.
Photo by Jonathan Göhner on Unsplash used with permission under the Creative Commons license for commercial use 7/12/24.