We're sorry, but your current browser configuration is not compatible with this site. Please enable JavaScript or switch to a JavaScript-capable browser. Learn how to enable JavaScript

Content continues after advertisement

Dental Abnormalities in Puppies & Kittens

Kendall Taney, DVM, DAVDC, FAVD, Center for Veterinary Dentistry & Oral Surgery, Gaithersburg, Maryland

Pediatrics

|June 2014|Peer Reviewed

This is a filled error message

Account sign in.

To access full articles on www.cliniciansbrief.com, please sign in below.

Forgot password?

Create Account

Trusted content.

Tailored to you.

For free.

Create an account for free

Want free access to the #1 publication for diagnostic and treatment information? Create a free account to read full articles and access web-exclusive content on www.cliniciansbrief.com.

Puppies and kittens can have congenital or acquired teeth and jaw abnormalities that should be addressed quickly to prevent lifelong morbidity.

Abnormalities such as persistent deciduous teeth (Figure 1) can cause crowding and predisposition to periodontal disease. Deciduous teeth still present when permanent tooth eruption occurs may disrupt the normal position of that tooth and lead to acquired malocclusion.

Congenital malocclusions are often apparent within weeks of birth; many are a result of skeletal abnormalities, such as mandibular brachygnathism, which can result in mandibular distocclusion (Figure 2). Malocclusions, whether acquired or congenital, can cause significant discomfort for a pet during mastication and lead to soft tissue damage and oronasal communication.

Missing teeth should always be investigated with dental radiography to determine whether they are truly missing or are impacted. Soft tissue impactions may resolve if treated early in the eruption phase (Figure 3). Hard tissue impactions also need to be addressed quickly if normal eruption is to occur. If a tooth fails to erupt, it will need to be extracted to prevent dentigerous cyst formation (Figure 4), a potentially destructive process that can affect adjacent teeth and bone (Figure 5).

1 of 10

Figure 1A Persistent Deciduous Canine Teeth in a Dog

Presence of these teeth during eruption of permanent canines can cause the maxillary canine to be pushed mesially and the mandibular canine to be pushed lingually, resulting in malocclusion.

2 of 10

Figure 1B Persistent Deciduous Incisor & Canine Teeth

This condition results in a double row of teeth (ie, shark mouth). It can also be difficult to differentiate between permanent and deciduous incisors, but as a general rule permanent incisors erupt distal to deciduous incisors. Deciduous teeth should be identified correctly before extraction.

3 of 10

Figure 1C Persistent Deciduous Mandibular Canine & Incisor Teeth

Radiograph showing deciduous teeth smaller and thinner than their permanent successors, which can present a challenge during extraction.

4 of 10

Figure 2A Mandibular Brachygnathism

In this common congenital skeletal abnormality, the mandible is considerably shorter than the maxilla, causing the mandibular canine teeth to be in contact with the soft tissues of the maxilla. If not treated, this abnormality can cause significant patient discomfort and result in oronasal communication. Crown reduction and endodontic therapy of the permanent mandibular canine teeth can create a functional and comfortable occlusion.

5 of 10

Figure 2B Mandibular Distocclusion in a Puppy

Distocclusion is an abnormal rostral–caudal relationship between the dental arches in which the mandibular arch occludes caudal to its normal position relative to the maxillary arch. The mandibular canine tooth is occluding with the hard palate adjacent to the maxillary canine tooth.

6 of 10

Figure 3A Soft Tissue Impaction

Note the carnassial teeth are covered by thick gingival covering or operculum in this Jack Russell terrier (7 months of age).

7 of 10

Figure 3B Operculectomy/Gingivectomy

Within weeks of operculectomy/gingivectomy to relieve soft tissue impaction impeding the eruption of the carnassial teeth, the teeth had fully erupted.

8 of 10

Figure 4 Fluctuant Left Mandibular Swelling

Left mandibular first premolar was missing in this Cavalier King Charles spaniel (6 years of age).

9 of 10

Figure 5A Cystic Lesions

If an impacted right mandibular first premolar is not treated, impaction can lead to formation of destructive cystic lesions (arrow) as seen in the dog from Figure 4.

10 of 10

Figure 5B Dentigerous Cyst

Impacted left mandibular first premolar with a radiolucent lesion surrounding the impacted tooth consistent with a dentigerous cyst. The impacted tooth and affected adjacent teeth should be extracted and the cyst debrided before further bony destruction and tooth loss occur.

Figure 1A Persistent Deciduous Canine Teeth in a Dog

Presence of these teeth during eruption of permanent canines can cause the maxillary canine to be pushed mesially and the mandibular canine to be pushed lingually, resulting in malocclusion.

Figure 1B Persistent Deciduous Incisor & Canine Teeth

Figure 1C Persistent Deciduous Mandibular Canine & Incisor Teeth

Radiograph showing deciduous teeth smaller and thinner than their permanent successors, which can present a challenge during extraction.

Figure 2A Mandibular Brachygnathism

Figure 2B Mandibular Distocclusion in a Puppy

Figure 3A Soft Tissue Impaction

Note the carnassial teeth are covered by thick gingival covering or operculum in this Jack Russell terrier (7 months of age).

Figure 3B Operculectomy/Gingivectomy

Within weeks of operculectomy/gingivectomy to relieve soft tissue impaction impeding the eruption of the carnassial teeth, the teeth had fully erupted.

Figure 4 Fluctuant Left Mandibular Swelling

Left mandibular first premolar was missing in this Cavalier King Charles spaniel (6 years of age).

Figure 5A Cystic Lesions

If an impacted right mandibular first premolar is not treated, impaction can lead to formation of destructive cystic lesions (arrow) as seen in the dog from Figure 4.

Figure 5B Dentigerous Cyst

To Extract or Not to Extract Tooth Fracture in a Pediatric Patient Occlusal Issues

For global readers, a calculator to convert laboratory values, dosages, and other measurements to SI units can be found here.

All Clinician's Brief content is reviewed for accuracy at the time of publication. Previously published content may not reflect recent developments in research and practice.

Material from Clinician's Brief may not be reproduced, distributed, or used in whole or in part without prior permission of Educational Concepts, LLC. For questions or inquiries please contact us.

Podcasts

Clinician's Brief:
The Podcast

Listen as host Alyssa Watson, DVM, talks with the authors of your favorite Clinician’s Brief articles. Dig deeper and explore the conversations behind the content here.

Clinician's Brief provides relevant diagnostic and treatment information for small animal practitioners. It has been ranked the #1 most essential publication by small animal veterinarians for 9 years.*

*2007-2017 PERQ and Essential Media Studies

It's Free & Simple

Delivered to Your Inbox

Newsletter

Join the Conversation

Facebook

Twitter

Home

Global Edition

About Us

Employment

Capsules

Advertise

Create Account

Brief Media

INDUSTRY NEWS