This is the special outlet where my new dental X-ray machine will soon be installed. I had to get a dedicated circuit put in (I can hardly wait for the electrician's bill).
There are lots of good reasons to take dental X-rays when you're working on a pet's teeth, but I'm only going to talk about one of them today.
Like people, dogs and cats start out with a set of deciduous, or baby, teeth. These are quite small. As the animal grows, these teeth don't. By the time the pet is about three months old, the teeth look too small for the animal, and there is noticeable space between them. That's because the jaws are growing and the teeth aren't. At roughly sixteen weeks, permanent teeth begin to emerge. The first ones will be the upper incisors -- the two teeth right in the middle of the front on the upper jaw (numbers 101 and 201 for your dentists out there). By five to six months, most pets have all of their permanent teeth, with the canine teeth (fangs) coming in last. As the permanent teeth come in, the roots of the baby teeth dissolve, and they just fall out to make room for the new tooth... most of the time, that is.
It's very common to see some baby teeth retained. The permanent tooth has come in beside them, and now we have two teeth in the space meant for one. This is most common with the canine teeth, the fangs, and it's not good. The bottom fang should come up and rest in a groove just in front of the upper fang. If the upper "baby fang" is still present, it pushes the permanent tooth forward, making that groove too small. If the lower "baby fang" doesn't go away, the permanent tooth comes up into the roof of the mouth, instead of that groove. So, if you see permanent teeth coming in while the baby teeth are still there, it's important to have those baby teeth extracted. We want the permanent teeth to come in to the right spot. It's not just a matter of a pretty smile: think how it would feel to have one of your teeth always poking you in the roof of the mouth -- OUCH.
When the baby tooth's root has not dissolved, it can be quite long. In the case of the canine tooth (fang), the root is about twice as long as the tooth you can see. This requires general anesthesia to extract, as you've got to do a bit of digging to get it out in one piece.
These teeth are the reason that I started the post by talking about a dental X-ray unit. This six-months old Yorkie puppy looked like it had a mouth full of permanent teeth, and we just needed to get those two baby fangs that were hanging on. Danged if she didn't have TEN baby teeth hanging around. Some were pretty loose, having no roots, and others were still pretty firm. They all needed to come out and make room for the permanent teeth. Were there more than ten baby teeth hanging on? I don't think so; I do think I got them all, but I don't know for sure. I need that dental X-ray.
My dogs lower jaw is out and the upper jaw is inside of the lower jaw . Is this normal ? Or is this because she has not shed any teeth
Posted by: Callie | January 20, 2015 at 01:23 AM
Hello, Callie,
At five years of age, I would not expect any teeth to start growing or changing in position.
If the tooth was loose, it could have been a baby tooth that should have come out long ago.
If there is gum disease, a permanent tooth can loosen and fall out.
The worst thing is when a tooth is broken, leaving the roots there, as these can abscess, which is very painful. If a tooth is broken, it should be removed.
Posted by: Doc | January 20, 2015 at 10:16 AM
Hello, Callie,
Some dogs just have an underbite. It doesn't have anything to do with when their teeth come in. It's just the way they are made.
Posted by: Doc | January 20, 2015 at 10:29 AM
My ten month old chihuahua has not lost any of his baby teeth and the dentist wants me to book him in to have them all removed. However, he said she said she doesn't know if he has any adult teeth underneath to replace them so he may end up with no teeth at all. Is it normal for him to have not lost his baby teeth and what do I do if he has no adult teeth to replace his baby teeth?
Posted by: Gary logan | February 17, 2015 at 12:07 PM
Hello, Gary,
It is not normal to still have baby teeth at 10 months of age.
I would expect a veterinary dentist to take mouth x-rays to determine if there are permanent teeth underneath. If none are present, she will probably not extract those particular baby teeth. It is where the teeth are doubled up that the retained baby teeth cause problems.
Fortunately, dogs eating prepared dog food (instead of hunting)don't really have to chew their food. They can still eat okay even if they don't have all their teeth.
Posted by: Doc | February 17, 2015 at 02:13 PM
Hello my pitbull pup was born on October 25 she has about 3 baby teeth in front of other teeth that just came in should I give them time or take her on to the vet? Thank you
Posted by: bev | March 01, 2015 at 08:06 AM
Hello, Bev,
Check them to see if they are loose. If they don't loosen up in a few weeks, they should be extracted. The ones that cause the most difficulty are the fangs, especially the lower ones.
If the baby fangs (canine teeth) have not shed by the time the permanent ones are halfway in, I would definitely get those extracted.
Posted by: Doc | March 01, 2015 at 02:47 PM
I have a 7month old 4.3lb chihuahua who has 3 canine baby teeth that need to be extracted. The vet told me it will be a one and one half (1.5) hour pricedure and $300 hundred in addition to her spey fee. Does that sound right to you? Please advise me!
Posted by: Lola | April 02, 2015 at 06:53 PM
Hey i have a 5 month old red/blue nose pitbull and both bottom fangs are doubled. this just started happening a week and a half ago but im starting to notice that the baby teeth are loosening. One a little more than the other .. also it causes a little pain for her to bite down on the looser right fang. Is it possible for the loose teeth to still fall out over time?
Posted by: Brandon | April 02, 2015 at 08:25 PM
Hello, Lola,
I really don't know what the going rate is in your area. Different locales have huge differences in costs of operation. California is much different than rural Missouri, where I practice, for instance.
If you feel that the cost is excessive, call some other doctors in your area. I must admit it does sound like a lot to me.
When you compare prices, be sure that you are comparing "apples to apples". One doctor may be including X-rays and pain medications in the estimate,while another does not.
Posted by: Doc | April 03, 2015 at 10:37 AM
Hello, Brandon,
If the teeth are loose enough to wiggle around, they will come out. If they feel very firm, I would be more concerned, especially with the bottom fangs. If they don't come out very soon, the permanent fangs can come up more toward the roof of the mouth, which is a problem.
If the permanent fangs get more than halfway in, and the baby fangs are still feeling solid, you need to have the baby fangs extracted.
Posted by: Doc | April 03, 2015 at 01:11 PM
Hi there,
I have a toy poodle x mini foxy and he is 5 months old. He has had very bad breath the last few days since we have him a Bow Wow BeefRooRoll. It has gotten better since yesterday but today one of his baby teeth fell out and it was a little discoloured and smelled like the bad breath he has had.
Is this normal? Or should we get his teeth/mouth looked at? Thank you!
Posted by: ES | April 30, 2015 at 01:28 AM
Hello, ES,
The roots of the baby teeth are supposed to dissolve, and they are supposed to fall out as the permanent teeth begin to erupt (come in). It's not usually stinky, though. I think it would be good to get your veterinarian to take a quick look.
Posted by: Doc | April 30, 2015 at 10:44 AM
I have a 6 month old yorkie and she has only lost 1 baby tooth yet that have been loose for almost a month. She has adult teeth coming in and it seems to be pushing her baby teeth all over her mouth :(. I'm wondering if this might have anything to do with her being so small? She was supposed to be standard size but is only about 2.8 lbs. I'm also curious what the extraction procedure typically costs
Posted by: cassandra | May 07, 2015 at 12:59 AM
Hello, Cassandra,
The situation you describe is one that should have attention from your veterinarian as quickly as possible.
This crowding of the teeth is usually more of a problem in toy breeds, but could occur in any size dog.
Those baby teeth should be extracted as soon as you can so that the permanent teeth have a place to be, and don't wind up pushing into the roof of her mouth, which is painful.
I really couldn't tell you what the procedure would cost, as it varies so much from one area of the country to another.
Posted by: Doc | May 07, 2015 at 11:44 AM
Hello, my 24.5 week old puppy, who is 1/2 bichon, 1/4 yorkie, and 1/4 maltese, is having tweth issues i believe. He has been continuously teething. He was the runt of the litter. When we got him he was only 2.4 lbs, we finally got him to a healthy 8.4 lbs over the last couple months. He as lost his upper puupy teeth and a few days later his adult teeth pop through but his bottom puppy teeth he has lost atleat a week or so ago had yet to get replaced. He is starting to be finicky with his food, he has stopped eating his normal 1 cup of food a day to 1/2 - 3/4 cup of food a day. Is this normal? Is the bottom teeth taking so long to come in because he was a runt and a little slower in developing?
Posted by: cassandra | May 08, 2015 at 10:59 AM
Hello, Cassandra,
We usually have more problems when the baby teeth are staying in too long and preventing the permanent teeth from erupting.
Toy breeds in general are often slow in their tooth development, and what you describe doesn't sound like much of a problem.
If he isn't feeling as well as he should, you should let your veterinarian examine him.
This could be something other than his teeth.
Your doctor can also help you evaluate whether the mouth is doing okay.
Posted by: Doc | May 08, 2015 at 03:46 PM
My 16 week old puppy has a small black ulser where one of her adult teeth are supposed to be its hard and she doesn't seem to be in any sort of pain please reply as soon as possible,
Thank you.
Posted by: Alice Riley | May 26, 2015 at 02:30 PM
Hello, Alice,
Sorry about the delay, but I've been in Africa.
I would suspect that the spot is where the baby tooth came out, and the permanent tooth had not yet come in.
This is the sort of the thing that is a bit hard to sort out without seeing the dog. Some dental situations cannot be diagnosed without X-rays.
Posted by: Doc | June 04, 2015 at 06:26 PM
Hi, I have an almost 11 month old JRT/Mountain Feist mix who still appears to be teething. She has 1 tooth on top left still under the skin, then on the bottom (both left and right sides) there are 3 teeth on each side that have just cut through the gums. We keep plenty of teething toys to help her with the discomfort and trying to get them in. I just think its strange for her to still be cutting teeth at this age. Her yearly vet visit is in Aug, but I assume the teeth will be all in by that time. Do you think I need to take her in early to have the "late blooming" teeth checked out?
Posted by: Betty | July 03, 2015 at 06:43 PM
Hello, Betty,
Yes, most dogs have finished teething by the time they are six months old.
If these teeth are doing that, you almost certainly have some baby teeth interfering with the permanent teeth.
You could wind up with a lot of teeth coming in such a way that they bang into one another and cause pain.
I would recommend that you visit your veterinarian as soon as you can work it in.
Posted by: Doc | July 03, 2015 at 07:24 PM
Hi! Thanks for your post. My 4 year old Yorkie-Poodle mix has a canine tooth that is brown 1/2 way down from the root and is quite loose. The tooth next to it is also a little brown near the top. She was a year old when we rescued her from the Humane Society and I have no idea about her baby teeth. I'm so scared this is a very painful cavity and an adult tooth is coming out but it doesn't seem likely to me bc she eats hard food only along with hard dental bones (though I do give her sweet people treats like hard peppermint candies sometimes) I'm just wondering what your opinion is. I do need to get her to the vet, money is very low this month but hopefully in a couple weeks it will be better. I'm so worried about her being in a lot of pain.
Posted by: Tara Dwyer | July 09, 2015 at 12:48 PM
Hello, Tara,
If this is a permanent canine tooth and it is loose, that means broken root or broken bone around the socket.
Brown deposits on the outside of the tooth are usually tartar. Tartar (also called calculus) builds up on the crown of the tooth, and underneath the gum-line. Underneath the gum-line it will gradually erode the tooth's attachment to the gums and bone. This is why we do professional cleaning of the teeth under sedation. You have to clean thoroughly under the gum-line to really do any good.
Teeth that are slightly tan may just be stained. A tooth that looks purple or red has damaged pulp and needs treatment, either extraction or root canal.
Loose teeth are painful because any time that they are moved, it's kind of like running on a sprained ankle.
Dogs learn to eat around this problem, avoiding the damaged tooth most of the time. That doesn't mean the tooth doesn't hurt.
Dogs use the canine teeth to catch prey, not to chew with. They chew on their back teeth.
Avoid any treat or chew-tow hard enough that you wouldn't want to hit yourself in the kneecap with it.
As soon as you can get things together, your dog should see her veterinarian about this.
Posted by: Doc | July 09, 2015 at 03:13 PM
Thank you for your answer. What do you think the chances are that this is a baby tooth that never came out? It is definitely rotted and quite loose. My poor baby, I feel just horrible for her. I guess I always thought teeth issues were an older dog issue and it never even occurred to me that my 4 yr old dog could have something like this so I never really checked her teeth very often. I feel terrible poor baby. Thanks for your advice.
Posted by: Tara Dwyer | July 09, 2015 at 03:50 PM
Hello, Tara,
It is certainly possible that this is an old baby tooth. You just need to let your dog's doctor take a look at it.
Posted by: Doc | July 09, 2015 at 04:28 PM
Hi
My 14 week old Border Terriers lower canines seem to be growing towards her upper gum. The vet has mentioned taking them out soon. Will her adult teeth do the same?
Posted by: Bernie | July 10, 2015 at 03:56 AM
Hello, Bernie,
That is difficult to predict. Getting the baby teeth out of the way could make proper eruption of the permanent teeth more likely.
You should really discuss this with the doctor who is actually seeing your dog.
Posted by: Doc | July 10, 2015 at 05:49 AM
hi Doc, my 5 week labrador puppy has discoloured teeth(slight yellowish). is this normal
Posted by: rupam ghosh | July 16, 2015 at 12:40 AM
Hello, Rupam,
It is not common, but doesn't suggest any particular disease to me. Possibly staining from chewing on something?
Posted by: Doc | July 16, 2015 at 11:41 AM
Hi, my golden/lab mix is about 10 months old. She has lost one of the four "baby" canines she was carrying with her adult teeth. She had a couple of other medical issues that we were taking care of and the vet didn't seem to be in a rush to take them out. She chews EVERYTHING up. Even stronger toys she has demolished leaving her interested in non- toy things until i can get her more. Are the teeth the likely reason for the excessive chewing?
Posted by: Heather | July 29, 2015 at 04:31 AM
Hello, Heather,
You wish. No, I'm afraid the excessive chewing is puppy behavior. She needs to have acceptable chew toys, and restricted access and supervision in regard to everything else.
If the retained baby teeth have not caused mal-alignment of the permanent teeth, then their extraction can wait until the dog is sedated for teeth-cleaning. With those teeth doubled up, they will accumulate tartar a lot faster than otherwise.
Posted by: doc | July 29, 2015 at 05:59 AM
Hi, I have a cavalier king Charles puppy who will be 6 months old next week. He was neutered 2 weeks ago and at that time my vet said she didn't want to mess with anything due to his age. His upper canine teeth are fully in and he has one baby canine left that isn't budging. How long should I wait before I address it with my vet? Thank you.
Posted by: Bev Leighton | August 03, 2015 at 08:16 AM
Hello, Bev,
This really depends on whether the retained baby tooth is affecting the position of the other teeth, or just crowded in so that it will collect a lot of extra debris.
Just give your veterinarian a call and let her know what's happening with your dog's mouth. Talk it over with your veterinarian.
Posted by: Doc | August 03, 2015 at 05:53 PM
Hi there, my boxer "Daisy" is 14 months old and while playing tug of war with her, she started bleeding from her mouth. That's when I noticed she's missing one of her lower canine teeth. Isn't this a bit old to be losing a tooth?
Posted by: David Hundert | August 03, 2015 at 06:29 PM
Hello, David,
Not only is that a bit old, it's never normal to be missing a lower canine tooth. That tooth has an enormous root. It's very difficult to extract it if you need to, because there isn't much jaw-bone left around it, so it's easy to break the jaw.
It usually takes quite a trauma to break that tooth or knock it out.
I would recommend a visit to your veterinarian, and your dog will likely need dental X-rays to see if there is a root fragment left in there that needs to come out.
Posted by: Doc | August 03, 2015 at 06:37 PM
My dacshund is almost a year old and still has 2 top baby canines along with all the adult teeth. They are a dark yellow and his breath is starting the smell. The tips of the baby teeth have broken off and the teeth are loose. What can I do?
Posted by: Sarah | August 08, 2015 at 06:32 PM
Hello, Sarah,
Talk to your veterinarian about scheduling a professional de-scaling and polishing of the teeth, and the baby teeth can be extracted at that time.
Get this cleared up now, and the teeth should stay in good shape. Leave it alone, and you start a lifelong progression of gum disease and tooth loss.
Posted by: Doc | August 09, 2015 at 07:40 AM
My black lab/doberman is 7 months now, and is still a very small size for her breed. When we got her, we’ve come to figure out that the breeder lied about her age, and she was a lot younger than we thought. Her mother died giving birth, so she did not receive any of her mothers milk. She had coccidia, and was hospitalized and treated also when she was younger. She lost all her teeth, and does not have any adult teeth growing. Her tongue has been hanging out, and I assumed it was because the lack of teeth, but now I am concerned because her lips seem swollen, and she has discomfort when I try and look into her mouth... But I feel as if they are swollen from overuse for grip due to no teeth. Her gums appear to be normal (not swollen or discolored) when I look in. I have been placing fish oil, and olive oil on her tongue and giving her ice cubes and small dosages of Benadryl and making sure she drinks lots of water. Should I be worried and seek medical attention? She is still as energetic as ever, and still has an appetite. Is her growing delayed due to her sickness while she was younger, and the fact that she did not have her mothers milk? Should I be worried? Am I overreacting? Please respond with any knowledge. Thanks in advanced.
Posted by: Jenny Khvan | August 16, 2015 at 06:05 AM
Hello, Jenny,
This is not something I've seen, personally.
If it were presented to me, I'd want to do mouth X-rays to see where the permanent teeth are.
Posted by: Doc | August 16, 2015 at 07:28 PM
Hi i have a poodle around 5months old..her teeth start to drop and it cause smelly breath..is this normal? Will this smelly breath cure after all the teeth grow?any solution on it?
Posted by: Jy | September 02, 2015 at 04:54 PM
Hello, Jy,
Your veterinarian should be able to provide you with a safe, antiseptic mouth rinse to help with this the. I would expect the problem to end when all the permanent teeth are in.
Posted by: Doc | September 03, 2015 at 11:56 AM
I've an 18mth chihuahu entier male.id noticed he'd started biting his bed a lot his breth is smelly on checking his mouth I've noticed his baby teeth have not come out he has a lot of teeth will he need them extracted ? He also seems to have redness of the gums
Posted by: Karen oaborne | October 14, 2015 at 04:50 PM
Hello, Karen,
If he has retained baby teeth, then his teeth get super crowded, and they catch a lot of junk. It can make his permanent teeth come in the wrong places. Gum disease is causing the odor.
Yes, these teeth need to be extracted as soon as you can get it done.
Posted by: Doc | October 14, 2015 at 07:21 PM
I have a 6 months old male yorkie, one of his canine tooth is out with no problems but in the other one he has the baby tooth and the permanent one both there. The breeder told me to wait until he is 1 year old to and if they are still there then remove it. Is that normal? Should I wait that long? Also should I castrate my dog or not? I was reading that better to do so between 6-8 months of age, but in the clinic they told me that it was too soon.
Will really appreciate your reply!
Thanks!
Lily
Posted by: Lily | October 27, 2015 at 11:25 AM
Hello, Lilly,
Your breeder is misinformed. By one year of age, the permanent teeth will be locked into position. They wouldn't move without putting orthodontic braces and tension devices, like a kid. If the baby teeth are extracted now, the permanent teeth have a chance to find their correct position. Sometimes you have to use ball therapy to move them, but they will still move. Ball therapy means using a rubber ball the right size that it puts a little spreading force on the teeth when they carry it.
As to castrating the dog, the traditional age has been six months. Many now do it as early as four months. There has been some recent research that suggests it may be better to wait until the dog is mature. There is not a general consensus on this at this time. Your best adviser in this matter is the veterinarian who sees your dog.
Posted by: Doc | October 27, 2015 at 04:38 PM
Hello, I have an 8 month old British Shorthair kitten, his tongue has been hanging out for the last few hours. It looks like his top right canine (?) is crooked a coming toward the inside instead of outside, causing his mouth not to close. His mood/appetite is fine, still playing and tail wagging but his tongue is out. Is this due to teething possibly? Do you think it will work itself out?
Posted by: amanda Bair | November 09, 2015 at 06:39 PM
Hello, Amanda,
Ordinarily, the deciduous (baby) teeth would be long gone by now. I think it's time for a trip to your veterinarian. If the permanent canine tooth is misaligned, that needs immediate attention.
Posted by: Doc | November 09, 2015 at 07:52 PM
I have a standard poodle who will be six months old in a few days. His permanent left canine tooth has come in (and has been in for a while), but the right canine tooth has not yet appeared. The baby canine tooth is not in the way (it fell out a while ago -- at least a few weeks ago if not more). Should I take him to the vet now or wait a bit longer? I'd hate to put him under anesthesia only to have the tooth pop through the next day.... He comes from a long line of AKC champions, so his ancestors could not have been missing a canine tooth.
Posted by: Jan | November 23, 2015 at 04:01 AM
Hello, Jan,
I wouldn't worry too much at this point. It would be a problem if there were no place for the tooth to come in, which is not the situation.
If it has not appeared in the next few weeks, then dental X-rays are in order. Un-erupted teeth can cause cysts in the bone that are a real problem.
Posted by: Doc | November 23, 2015 at 06:53 AM
My 4.5 year old toy poodle still has 2 baby teeth. They are right behind (in proper alignment) the first canine teeth on the upper jaw on each side. One of these teeth is loose. The vet said she would extract both baby teeth and the permanent teeth would then come in. That is not the idea I have based on these comments. (I didnt even know she still had baby teeth.) How concerned should I be? I don't believe they have an xray machine. There was not one in the examination room.
Posted by: Sandy | February 03, 2016 at 09:24 AM
Hello, Sandy,
It is hard for me to visualize what is going on here. Retained baby teeth should be removed, as they are usually jammed up against permanent teeth, and the small space tends to pick up a lot of crud. This increases the tendency to develop gum disease.
The permanent teeth (if present) are not going to be moving on their own in a dog of this age. If they are retained above the gum-line, they often cause the formation of dentigerous cysts. These bone cysts are a real problem to deal with, and it is better to extract the teeth, though this can be difficult. It is not possible to evaluate this without dental x-rays.
It is highly unlikely that anyone would have a dental (or any kind) of X-ray in their exam room. You have to anesthetize a dog to X-ray its mouth. They won't hold still with film in their mouth while you take a picture. This wouldn't be done in the exam room anyway, as you need to take X-rays in another part of the hospital so that people are not exposed to radiation.
You should ask the veterinarian who is actually seeing your dog for clarification if you have more questions about what is going on.
Posted by: Doc | February 03, 2016 at 03:23 PM
Hi, I have a 5 mth old Weimaraner that has 2 canine coming through in the same place. No 12, if that makes sense to you. What should I Do? He is a going to be shown???? BD
Posted by: B. Quinlan | February 16, 2016 at 04:29 PM
Hello, B. Quinlan,
Whenever you have a permanent canine tooth erupting more than 1/4 of the way in, and the baby tooth has not fallen out, the baby tooth should be extracted right away. The permanent tooth needs a place to be, if you want it to function normally.
Posted by: Doc | February 18, 2016 at 01:17 PM
Hi,
I have a 3 year old Pomeranian who has two retained deciduous upper canines. One is fairly wobly. I've been to the vet about this on numerous occasions. I have been advised they need to come out. My only major concern is the risk of the anaesthetic, I saved my dog from a puppy farm and he's hand many illnesses and seizures in the past.
Is there any other alternatives other than sedation? I don't want the risk. Any suggestions would help.
Thanks
Posted by: Clarissa | March 04, 2016 at 03:26 AM
Hello, Clarissa,
The sedation can be very light, as we would use a local anesthetic to numb the nerve to the area, rather than using the anesthetic to control the pain of the extraction. The loose one may not be a problem, but could also have a broken root. Usually when these have not shed on their own, they have rather substantial roots. It should be a relatively short procedure. Talk with your veterinarian about your concerns.
Posted by: Doc | March 05, 2016 at 07:11 PM
Hi, I have a schnauzer she was born 2/10 she has no bottom incisors .. She has her canine teeth..! Is that normal? She eats regular food
Posted by: Bill | April 11, 2016 at 11:59 AM
Hello, Bill,
Not normal. Also may not be a problem. Baby incisors should be erupting before six weeks of age. The permanent incisors start erupting at 16 weeks, usually.
Toy breeds are often a late bloomers in this regard, but I wouldn't consider a Schnauzer a toy breed.
If they don't show up pretty soon (next two weeks), I would recommend dental X-rays. Un-erupted teeth can cause bone cysts to develop in the jaw.
Posted by: Doc | April 12, 2016 at 06:52 PM
My 7-8 month maltipoo adult teeth have come in but it seems that he has not lost his all his baby fangs or incisors. While playing tug one tooth broke and to me it looks like a baby tooth. We're going to the vet to have a dental xray for sure. At his age is too late to expect his baby teeth to fall out naturally, especially cause his adult teeth are already growing in? I don't want the broken tooth to result in any infection so leaning towards getting that one pulled, but don't know about the other 3 remaining baby teeth? At his age is the wiser move to just to pull them and give the growing teeth more time to adjust to their natural position?
Posted by: Jaxon | May 24, 2016 at 02:55 PM
Hello, Jaxon,
I would recommend that you have all of these baby teeth extracted as soon as you reasonably can. They are very probably crowding the permanent teeth.
Posted by: Doc | May 24, 2016 at 07:10 PM
My 6 month old Yorkie had 4 baby teeth pulled yesterday while she was being spayed. This morning while I was feeding her some canned food she spit out a tooth. If the doctor removed all of the baby teeth then why would another tooth come out? Now I am concerned he may have loosened permanent teeth while extracting the baby teeth.
Posted by: Kathleen | July 16, 2016 at 05:19 AM
Hello, Kathleen,
I suspect there was a small, loose baby tooth elsewhere in the mouth, and your doctor pulled the four baby canine teeth. It is VERY unlikely that he loosened a permanent tooth in the process to the point that the dog could spit it out. Loosening and extracting a firmly rooted permanent tooth takes rather considerable work. You wouldn't do it accidentally.
Posted by: Doc | July 18, 2016 at 04:30 AM
I have a mini aussie, six months old. Today he got neutered i had been in for a consult last week because i noticed the permanent top canine (fang) was pushing baby fang out and when closing, that tooth now was digging into inner lip. So vet recommended extraction of baby fang at time of neutering which she did. When i picked put up vet told me she had a difficult time with extraction and a bit of the root tip broke off. She felt that digging in to grt that tip could result in more problems than the tip could cause. I accepted her explanation but now as i read all thr posts here and elsewhere.....there is not a single one suggesting that leaving the tip is ok in some instances. Please advise.
Posted by: Claire | October 21, 2016 at 09:01 PM
Hello, Claire,
All the dental guys say to get them out. I'm no dental expert, but my impression is that few of them cause problems. I wouldn't worry about it unless problems arise. You can always go after it then.
To get that tip, you would have to open the gum, remove some bone, and it's really oral surgery.
I'm ashamed to admit that I've left a lot of them in, and the dogs don't seem to have a problem. I think a lot of them are resorbed by the body.
That being said, I haven't gone back to X-ray them a year later, either.
Certainly retained root tips from the extraction of permanent teeth can and often do cause problems.
I think the best course at this point is to keep an eye on the area and let your veterinarian know if you suspect any problems.
At some point, your dog will probably need dental cleaning, and X-rays at that time will let you know if something is percolating in there.
Posted by: Doc | October 22, 2016 at 01:54 PM
My 6 1/2 month cocka poo s bottom left fang tooth i.e. A lot smaller than the right side one, wit grow to the same length or should we take to the vets
Posted by: Darren | November 19, 2016 at 03:42 AM
Hello, Darren,
If the teeth do not match, something is not right.
I would recommend that you let your veterinarian take a look at this.
Best wishes.
Posted by: Doc | November 19, 2016 at 10:57 AM
Hi, I have recently got a nearly 2 year old cab. I noticed how smelly his breath was, when looking at his teeth they were pretty bad so I started cleaning them and them look much better. His gums are still a bit red in places but I can see a big improvement. I noticed he has a baby fang next to his adult one, since cleaning it looks much better but is quite wobbly. Would I cause any damage by wobbling it till it comes out
Posted by: Sarah | January 11, 2017 at 08:07 PM
Hello, Sarah,
If it is already wobbling, you won't cause damage by wiggling it out,though it may be uncomfortable for the dog.
It is great that you are cleaning the teeth, but if there is really a problem, the most important part is below the gum-line. Cleaning the visible crown of the tooth is largely cosmetic, and doesn't deal with the root source of the disease.
Cleaning below the gum-line needs to be done by your veterinarian while the dog is under light anesthesia.
Posted by: Doc | January 13, 2017 at 05:20 AM
Apparently this is the thread that never dies :) I recently rescued a 2-3 year old Tibetan spaniel. He still has his baby top fangs next to his adult fangs. This does not seem to cause him any discomfort but he has very fishy breath (although I do not feed him fish). Will it be ok to have these removed? I only ask because of his age and I do not want to harm his permanent teeth if they are all sharing the socket. In other words I don't want to cause more harm then good. He is going for a teeth cleaning this week so I was searching for advice on what to do. Also, I am very nervous about him going under anesthesia because I've heard bad stories of dogs passing during the treatment. I've become seriously attached to him and don't want anything bad to happen!
Posted by: Carol | February 14, 2017 at 11:43 AM
I have an 8 month old Brussels griffon puppy , her lower canine teeth have not come in yet, we had her xrayed and they are there just havn't erupted. how long can we safely wait before having to remove
Posted by: sharon moore | February 14, 2017 at 01:18 PM
Hello, Carol,
Two teeth should not be sharing the space intended for one. This causes gum disease as stuff gets trapped there all the time. It can also cause malocclusion as the lower canine teeth get pushed into the wrong place.
It is very unlikely that the permanent teeth would be damaged in the process of extracting the baby teeth.
There is always risk with anesthesia - if it were good for you, you wouldn't lose consciousness. However, dental cleaning is not painful, so only very light anesthesia is needed. When you do something painful (like extracting a tooth), we use local anesthetic to numb the area, rather than going with deeper anesthetic. The risks are minimal with modern anesthetics and monitoring.
Posted by: Doc | February 15, 2017 at 07:42 PM
Hello, Sharon,
In looking at similar case histories on Veterinary Information Network, the dental specialists recommend referral to a dental specialist. As to what to do, it depends on how the teeth are situated. If they haven't erupted, but are in good alignment, sometimes they just make an incision over the tooth (extracting any retained baby teeth).
Sometimes the tooth needs to be extracted.
I am certainly no dental specialist. You might ask your veterinarian to email the radiographs to a dental specialist for evaluation.
Posted by: Doc | February 15, 2017 at 07:50 PM
My roughly 5 1/2 month old chocolate lab mix puppy seemed to have two lower retained k9s and I made an appointment for this weekend... last night one fell out while playing tug, hoping the other one will follow suit. My question is, since the adult tooth had already started coming in behind it, will it move into the correct spot, where the baby tooth was, on its own? Thanks in advance!
Posted by: Laura | April 25, 2017 at 06:14 AM
Hello, Laura,
If you can get those baby teeth out now, the permanent tooth should find its way okay.
Posted by: Doc | April 26, 2017 at 07:47 AM
I have a cat, male, who I raised from a small kitten. His mom was killed by a car. He is an inside cat and about 1.5 years old now. He is really tiny and I had to force fed him when he was a baby. His bottom teeth are super tiny, not like his siblings, and they have started falling out now. He has lost two so far. Doesn't look like he has any permanent teeth under them and they look too little to have ever been permanent teeth. Any ideas???
Posted by: karen | May 04, 2017 at 08:45 PM
Hello, Karen,
It will take dental X-rays to determine if your cat just never developed permanent teeth, or they are there and failed to erupt.
Sometimes un-erupted teeth remain quiet under the gum line. Sometimes they stimulate formation of a dentigerous cyst.
While it can be complicated to extract these un-erupted teeth surgically, it is less complicated than dealing with a dentigerous cyst. The cyst can be quite destructive of bone in the area.
If you don't handle this now, be alert for any swelling developing in the area. That could indicate the beginning of a cyst. It would be better to have it removed while it is small.
Posted by: Doc | May 05, 2017 at 04:30 AM
Hi there :-) we have a 6.5 month old toy schnauzer with 4 retained baby canines. We've been waiting patiently for about a month now hoping that the baby teeth would come out on their own but they are still very solid, not wiggly at all so we decided to have Them extracted this week. Right now The adult canines are pretty much almost of the same height as the baby canines and as I am not sure if this means that they fully erupted already, I am wondering if The permanent canines still have a chance of finding the right spot in The jaw after the extraction? Thank you for letting me know!
Posted by: Eva | June 19, 2017 at 05:47 PM
I have a 6.5 months old toy schnauzer with 4 retained baby canines. I will be bringing him for extraction this week. I have a question with regard to the adult canines: they are pretty much of the same height as the baby canines at the moment and I do not know of that's mean that they fully errupted already and if there is still a chance that the permanent teeth will find the correct spots in the jaw after extraction? Thank you
Posted by: Eva P | June 20, 2017 at 04:47 AM
Hello, Eva,
I think that if the baby teeth are extracted now that there is a very good chance that the permanent canine teeth will find their spot.
Posted by: Doc | June 20, 2017 at 05:08 PM
I have a 7 month old German Shepherd ad Rottweiler mix puppy.I noticed a few weeks ago that one of his lower fangs is missing. He was a victim of a dog fight in may and is still recovering from those injuries. I was checking hs teeth this evening and noticed what looks like a tooth trying to erupt. He is an avid chewer. I typically give him rope toys, tennis balls, Kong toys, any anything else that might last longer than 2 days. I am wondering could his adult tooth be trying to come in or is it possible he lost his adult tooth? Thanks in advance.
Posted by: Susannah Hayes | July 01, 2017 at 06:27 PM
Hello, Susannah,
Usually by six months of age, all his permanent teeth would have erupted. That's not set in stone, of course. At his age, I wouldn't be surprised if he lost the baby fang and the permanent fang is late erupting. Your veterinarian should be able to help you tell the difference. Worst case scenario is that you might need to take dental X-rays.
Posted by: Doc | July 02, 2017 at 02:52 PM
Hi Doc
I have a 4 month puppy that's started losing baby incisors in the last week. All the top ones have come out and tips of adult teeth are coming out. The bottom ones two in the middle are out and starting to erupt, two way to the sides next to canines are still baby teeth, and the two next to those on either side have the adult teeth erupting behind them. Puppy is very wriggly so I wasn't able to feel much, but the baby teeth definitely are somewhat loose at least. At what point would it become something to look at, seeing as it's still very early would it be okay to leave it a while and check what happens? Or is it immediately necessary to go have it checked and extracted?
Posted by: SJ | July 08, 2017 at 04:46 AM
Hello, SJ,
Sorry to be so late replying, but I have been out of town.
I don't worry about this at all until the permanent canine teeth (fangs) are about one third of the way in. If the baby teeth aren't getting a little loose by then, you should check with your veterinarian.
Posted by: Doc | July 14, 2017 at 12:05 PM
Thank you for having this site up and taking questions. I have a 6 year old shiatsu-poo. I took him in to get his teeth cleaned and when I picked him up the vet said he needed (4) simple extractions and had already pulled them. They were his top, front (4) teeth. Its been about 5 weeks now. Are they going to grow back? How long should it take?
Needless to say I was an unhappy mother. Thanks MN
Posted by: Michelle Newell | July 25, 2017 at 09:06 AM
Hello, Michelle,
This sounds like your baby has had a problem with gum disease causing the premature loosening of his incisor teeth. These teeth have small, single roots. In many toy breed dogs, we have a problem with loss of bone density in this area.
While tartar (calculus) accumulation undermines the attachment of the gums to the tooth, some of these guys lose bone even when there is no tartar.
Once these teeth become mobile, they have lost more than 50 % of their attachment to the jaw, and they are going to be lost.
Leaving them in place when they are wiggly is painful for the dog. Every time he bumps them and they move, it feels similar to running on a sprained ankle.
Those teeth are used primarily for grooming by the dog, so they don't affect his eating if they are lost.
If these were his adult teeth (as I suspect) they will not be growing back.
The bad news is that it would have been better if your doctor had explained this prior to removing the teeth.
The good news is that the doctor did the right thing and has saved your baby from being uncomfortable with these loose teeth.
Posted by: Doc | July 25, 2017 at 05:30 PM
Thank you so much for the explanation and the quick response. You and your willingness to share your knowledge in this forum is much appreciated.
Posted by: Michelle Newell | August 11, 2017 at 03:14 PM
You are welcome.
Posted by: Doc | August 11, 2017 at 06:08 PM