Is an overbite in an 8-week Bichon Frise puppy a serious concern?

An over bite can be a problem depending on the alignment of the lower jaw. If the lower canines come in contact with the hard pallet, then that can cause a problem. This can be fixed however by removing the lower teeth or shortening and capping them. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Slight underbites and overbites do not cause any major issue in terms of eating, drinking, chewing on a bone or grinding teeth. If you are concerned, there are veterinary dentists. You would have to ask your veterinarian if there is one in your area and get a referral. In my 17 years of practice, I have seen dogs with severe under bites do just fine! But I have heard of veterinary dental braces which would need a veterinary dentist. I do not recommend putting any dog through that unless it was absolutely necessary though.

I honestly would try to wait and see on this one. There is a chance this won't pose any major concerns for Bear, especially if you are diligent with brushing his teeth and getting him regular dental cleanings. Even though the teeth can dig into the bottom jaw quite a bit, Bear may compensate for this himself and not cause any injuries here. I hope that this helps you in your decision making moving forward. Best wishes and take care.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! An overbite or underbite is genetic and can be passed to future offspring. It is usually not recommended to breed these pets since this is not a desired trait and does not improve the breeding lineage. That being said, most people will still use these pets as breeders despite the malocclusion. The bite can cause abnormal wear on the enamel of the teeth or chewing problems depending on how severe. Also, some genetic problems don’t show up until a pet is older (like hip dysplasia). The decision is still yours whether or not you want to use her for breeding. Kisses to Abby!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Pippa. Every puppy grows and develops at a different rate. At this age, I would recommend monitoring her. If her facial conformation continues to rapidly change, then you will need to discuss it with her veterinarian. If any of her teeth are causing pain by contacting the opposite gum tissue, then intervention by.a veterinary dentist may be necessary. Most puppies will be fine. An underbite is generally less worrisome then an overbite where the lower canine teeth can contact the hard palate. I hope this information helps!

If the underbite is mild, most pets live with not issues due to the abnormality (there are some breeds where an underbite is actually standard to the breed, such as a bulldog). If the underbite is more severe it may cause problems and if you had plans for breeding the dog it would not be advised with this abnormality.

At 3weeks they would only be learning how to explore the world but should be willing to interact with their siblings, owners and strangers. There teeth should be meeting top and bottom at the front but would not be developed enough at this stage to be confirmative