My dog's front tooth is cracked. How can I save it and what's the cost?

This could be the result of a pulpal hemorrhage, pulpitis and pulpal necrosis secondary to the trauma. Pulpitis produces toothache. Should non-vital pulps become infected, abscessation may occur. There are usually two options in these cases: root endodontic canal therapy (more expensive and usually done by specialists) and dental extraction (often surgical) which should cost in between approximately 300-500USD.

By your description, it is possible your dog has significant tartar build up and possibly periodontal disease. Daily brushing with a pet approved tooth paste/brush can slow the progression. It will not remove existing tartar or clean effectively under the gums. What your dog likely needs is a complete physical exam including oral exam followed by a dental cleaning and dental x-rays under anesthesia. She may need extractions if the periodontal disease is severe. Without treatment, she can have a chronic low grade infection which has the potential to spread to other organs. Eating may become difficult which can further complicate the condition. Discuss payment plans or alternative financing such as CareCredit with your veterinarian. You may also be able to secure financial assistance through Red Rover (www.redrover.org).

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. So this is a “complicated” fracture of the canine- meaning the pulp cavity is exposed. Unfortunately, if Titus walked into my office, I’d recommend scheduling a dental and removing the tooth. Once the pulp cavity is exposed, bacteria can travel up it and cause a deep abscess in the bone. Then you have weeks of antibiotics and still have to do the procedure. This does not always happen, but there is no way to know which case it will happen to. The other option is seeing a dental specialist for a root canal and crown. That being said, it’s not very painful unless he is chewing with it (which he’ll probably avoid). And not much is going to happen in the next two days, or even in the next two months. Don’t put anything on there and just leave it alone. Schedule an appointment when it’s convenient and talk with your vet about your options. Also talk about why he is chewing his crate (often a sign of moderate to severe separation anxiety). And how to prevent future damage to other teeth. Best wishes to you and Titus!

We can't see previous questions and since the doctor that answered your previous question as has not responded, they may no longer be answering questions today. From your question and pictures, I am worried that Kayla has been having some pain or trouble with her mouth. If Kayla has broken the small upper tooth and exposed the pulp cavity (where the blood and nerve supply to the tooth is), the tooth will be painful and the best option will be to remove the tooth. It is possible to do root canals if the injury just happened, but we normally recommend removing small teeth that are broken. If it is not removed, it will continue to be painful and may potentially get infected. Your veterinarian will be able to examine all her other teeth to make sure there aren't any other problems, but she may just have broken that tooth chewing or playing too hard. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and answered your question. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

If the tooth is barely hanging and the gum is damaged at this location, it will be easier and cheaper to just have the tooth removed, it will require general anesthesia but it will be very quick and should not cost much either.

Thank you for including the pictures. I agree that the pulp is exposed. The most cost effective plan is usually extraction of the tooth. I would encourage you to have him evaluated by your veterinarian soon. He may need some pain medication until the procedure is scheduled. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

I am sorry to hear that Charlie Brown is having problems with his teeth! Unfortunately we cannot give you the cost of this procedure as it will vary based on the region of the country where you live and the individual hospital where you have the procedure performed. It will also depend on things such as if you have bloodwork done to ensure Charlie Brown has normal liver/kidney function, how difficult the extraction of the tooth will be, and if he will need medication to go home. I would recommend bringing him to a full service vet and they can make an estimate for you based on his examination.