My senior dog has an exposed tooth. Can it be saved or removed?

Hello, thank you for your question about Fly. If the pulp (or sensitive nerve portion) of the tooth is exposed having the tooth extracted is the best treatment option. Pulp exposure can lead to pain and also serve as a source of infection leading to further complications down the line. Dental surgery is a fairly routine procedure that most veterinarians are very comfortable with. In most cases a pre-operative workup is performed to ensure that Fly is a good candidate for general anesthesia. During the procedure the canine would be extracted and all of his other teeth could be cleaned of tartar. If he is otherwise healthy with no prior medical history there is no reason to think that he would not tolerate this procedure. Hope this helps, good luck!

It sounds like the tooth you are referring to is the lower left canine when I look at your picture, rather than an incisor. Because it is a canine tooth that is affected, I would recommend that you make an appointment and have your vet take a look. The canine teeth have very large, strong roots and leave large holes when they come out. I am glad that she is still eating, but it sounds like you do need to get her in. Even if she needs to have it extracted under anesthesia, this is a better option than opening her up to a potential infection, which could be very serious if it were to involve the bone of the lower jaw (mandible). There are also other changes your vet can look for that may have caused the tooth to become loose in the first place, such as a tumor of some kind in her mouth. Good luck with her, I hope this information is helpful for you!

Hi there and thank you for your post! From the pictures you provided, there is definitely some severe attrition (dental wearing) occurring throughout Judge's mouth. I see many dogs with worn teeth and most of the time, there are no issues with the worn teeth other than the fact that they typically accumulate tartar faster than non-worn teeth (this is because the enamel has been worn off). The only concern I would have would be that I can see the small dot in the center of the tooth. This structure is known as the pulp chamber, which houses the nerve and blood supply to the tooth. If this is exposed, the current recommendation is to either have a root canal performed or have the tooth removed. It does appear that Judge has tartar on his teeth. I would recommend a dental cleaning under anesthesia and have the teeth checked for any signs of pulp exposure. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns. I am also available by phone or text based consultation if needed. If Judge chews on hard bones or toys, I would stop this so that the wearing does not worsen.

The canine tooth looks like it might have a little evidence of gingivitis but it can be difficult to tell from a picture. I also would not prescribe antibiotics for dental disease in most situations - if the tooth is infected removing it is the best treatment option. Even though the tooth probably will fall out there may be other diseased teeth since it can be difficult to evaluate the extent of disease without sedation - you may want to ask your vet about a dental cleaning or if your vet does not do this procedure see another vet.

I’m sorry to hear about the tooth loss. It sounds like you are trying hard to maintain good oral health and you should continue this. Definitely try to brush the teeth every day, even twice a day if possible. Pet tooth paste helps but the main benefit is the physical brushing. They also make dental diets which can improve oral health. Some pets also go on pulse therapy antibiotics to help control bacterial populations in the mouth. Unfortunately despite best efforts, dental disease can progress resulting in a he tooth loss. A fair amount of dental disease is found under the gumline and so it is hard to address without a proper dental cleaning. You may ask your veterinarian if there is an option to have you pup cared for by a specialist who may be able to preform a dental cleaning. If this is an option. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hi there. This is a very good question. Based on the photo, this type of tooth fracture is usually referred to as a "slab fracture". Dogs often get these from chewing on hard objects like bones or rocks. Although I can't see too well on the picture, I would be concerned about the pulp cavity being exposed. This is the area that runs throughout the length of the tooth carrying blood supply and nutrients to the tooth. If exposed, there is a greater likelihood that the tooth can become infected and decay quite rapidly. It can also cause pain in the mouth. Freddie's veterinarian can check with a dental probe to see if the pulp cavity is exposed. Sometimes this can be done while the dog is awake, but sometimes it has to be done under sedation or anesthesia. If Freddie has a bit of tartar, you can just schedule a teeth cleaning and his vet can check it out then. If the pulp cavity is exposed, extracting the tooth is recommended to avoid infection and pain. Once Freddie's tooth is removed, he probably won't miss it. A soften diet and no chew toys for a couple of weeks and he'd be good to go. I hope you find this answer helpful. Best of luck!

It sounds like there are some anesthetic concerns and that your vet does not feel comfortable removing the incisors. You may want to ask about referral to a veterinary dentist if available in your area. Ideally Frodo should also have an echocardiogram performed by a cardiologist first to determine the extent of his heart disease and assess his risk under anesthesia. This website lists board certified dentists but there may also be a veterinarian in your area who limits practice to dentistry. https://www.avdc.org