Bad Bites. Does Your Dog need Braces?

By: Dr. Dale Kressin

If your pet’s bite is not right, they likely will suffer in silence and not show any sign of their pain.  So what is the “bite”?  The bite is also called the occlusion.  It is how the teeth come together when the mouth is closed.  Animals with bad bites (malocclusions) will eat and play in spite of an uncomfortable mouth.  It is a shame that they may have pain every time they close their mouth.  To help your pet, take an active role in identifying these malocculsions, regardless of their age.

There are many different types of malocclusions.  Let’s focus on a common one we see in dogs.  Sometimes the bottom canine teeth are pointed in the wrong direction.  This can cause the teeth to hit the roof of the mouth.  This is known as “base narrow” or “linguoversion” of the mandibular canine teeth.  This condition can be on one or both sides.  It can result in severe trauma and pain to the roof of the mouth.  They can often create holes that can be shallow or deep enough to penetrate the nasal cavity.  Long-term respiratory problems can result.  These patients suffer from pain every time they close their mouth.  Causes of this condition include: deciduous (baby) teeth that stay in too long, overshot jaw, a lower jaw that is too narrow, or one side of the lower jaw that is longer than the other (wry bite).

Options to treat this malocclusion are: dental (tooth) extraction, surgically lowering the height of the tooth, or orthodontics to move the teeth into normal position.  All of these treatments eliminate the pain and discomfort.  Let’s explain these treatments in more detail:

Dental extraction can resolve the problem, however by taking out the tooth, the dog can no longer chew with it.  The procedure can be technically difficult when teeth break during the extraction procedure.  Also, the roots of the teeth contribute to the strength of the lower jaw (mandible) and extracting them will weaken the jaw.  Fracturing of the jaw may also be an unfortunate consequence of the procedure.  In most cases this is the least optimal treatment plan.  It can be painful and risky.

A second treatment option is to surgically shorten the height of the lower canine teeth and cap the tooth. This involves carefully removing part of the crown of the lower canine tooth so that it no longer hits the roof of the mouth.  Then a restoration is applied to protect the pulp (blood and nerve supply of the tooth) so that the tooth stays healthy and alive.  Follow-up evaluations are needed to ensure that the tooth does not die.  The huge benefit of this procedure over extraction is that the tooth remains functional and there are minimal risks of jaw fracture.  Pets typically experience no discomfort from this procedure.

In some situations orthodontic correction is the preferred method of treatment for these “base narrow” lower canine teeth.  Most cases can be successfully managed with braces.  Not all dogs are candidates for this option.  It really takes the right dog with the right bite and the owner with appropriate time and energy.  An orthodontic appliance is placed to gradually move the lower canine tooth into a better position.  This will result in the elimination of trauma to the roof of the mouth.  This option is a win, win scenario.  The pet no longer suffers from the trauma of the malocclusion and the tooth remains functional.

When the bite isn’t right something needs to be done for the pet’s comfort.  We see many happy patients and owners after this condition is correctly treated.  Your veterinarian will work with you to decide if extraction, crown reduction or orthodontics is right for you.  There are also veterinarians who specialize in dentistry who are available to assist you.

Dale Kressin DVM, FAVD, Dip.AVDC
www.mypetsdentist.com