Other Conditions
Missing Teeth
When a dog or cat is missing a tooth or teeth that have not been extracted, the absence of the tooth must be verified by intraoral imaging (x-rays and/or CT scan). If the intraoral imaging shows the tooth is present but is complete buried in the bone it is considered to be impacted. An impacted tooth has the potential to form a cyst (odontogenic cyst) resulting in bone loss. If a cyst develops, then extensive oral surgery is required to remove the impacted tooth and cyst lining.
Persistent Deciduous (Baby) Teeth
Persistent deciduous teeth should be extracted if the patient is older than 6 months of age or if the permanent tooth has erupted to half of the height of the deciduous tooth, and the deciduous tooth is not mobile. If the deciduous tooth is not extracted in a timely manner, periodontal disease or malocclusions (unusual alignment of teeth) may develop. Periodontal disease develops due to crowding resulting in an accumulation of debris. Malocclusions develop due to the adult tooth not having the proper space to move into a correct occlusion.
Malocclusions
A malocclusion is any arrangement of teeth that come together in an abnormal pattern. Sometimes teeth erupt in an abnormal position or the upper or lower jaws are abnormal in shape or length. If the malocclusion causes trauma to any of the tissues of the mouth, it is considered a traumatic malocclusion and should be treated. Treatment can include orthodontics, crown height reduction with vital pulp therapy, extraction, or some combination of these options.
Contact
1012 Rondale Court. O’Fallon, MO 63368