Well I noticed this morning that Tucker has a slab fracture on his back molar....
It looks like this:

http://www.petplace.com/dogs/fractured-tooth-in-dogs/page1.aspx#
(first picture under Section Overview sub title)

so we're off to the vets tomorrow.

Just wanted to see if anyone else here has had to deal with this before and what I might be looking at price wise???



Thanks.

Hi Wendy, one of my dogs has exactly the same fraction as in the second picture. The vet removed the thin sliver that separated from the tooth ($300 or so) and recommended us to watch the dog for any signs of pain or discomfort and if any appear either pull the tooth (cheap) or see a pet dentist (the vet said she *heard* it might cost anywhere between $1K up to $3K). So far there has been no pain or discomfort and I am watching that tooth every day. Perhaps I should look into fixing the tooth anyway before any more damage occurs. I hope very much somebody else could give more information on the exact procedures and costs.

Here is the picture of the fractured tooth

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34122031@N04/4381889249/. Sorry for the quality.

Hey Ana,

yeah, that looks just like Tuckers tooth right now.
Vet said he can more than likely just remove the slabe and put on a bonding agent if the pulp etc isn't exposed.
I touched the tooth quite a bit to see try and see if he would re-act or pull back. But he just stood there, so the vet thinks the pulp part of the tooth is still covered.
But if the slab can't be taken off, i would definately have to look at having the tooth removed. i can't afford $1000 pet bill right now.

Here is the picture of the tooth today, 7 months later:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34122031@N04/4382689378/. The vet never mentioned any bonding agent, I will call them today to ask if they could do it. Is this some kind of a permanent shield or a temporary patch? As you see there is some discoloration and there is a bit of pink showing through. It worries me.

 Quote: wendy lefebvre

Vet said he can more than likely just remove the slabe and put on a bonding agent if the pulp etc isn't exposed...
But if the slab can't be taken off, i would definately have to look at having the tooth removed. i can't afford $1000 pet bill right now.

Hi Wendy, poor Tucker!
Q: I don't understand what needs to be removed - unless I'm not seeing clearly (quite possible) in all the photos we're looking at, the "slab" appears to have sheared off completely. Oscar had a similar fracture and when we noticed it, there was no trace of the bit that broke off...

Realistically, even if the broken off portion is still slightly attached, the decision as to whether to extract the whole thing or perform a root canal will be determined first by whether the pulp is exposed (if it is, you'll want to do SOMETHING, as leaving it be will likely just result in an infection, and consequent extraction later on) - and second by what you want to spend. Extraction will run in the hundreds (and a general vet can do it), a root canal will run in the thousands, and usually you have to go to a specialist/doggie "dentist" to have it done (depending on what type of animal health practices you have to choose from, the estimate of $1-$3K for this procedure is spot on).

Oscar slab fractured his molar when he was just 2 years old, I really didn't want him to have to live with a gaping hole in his dentition for the rest of his life (that 4th molar is a critical chewing/chomping tooth), so we ponied up and performed a root canal. It was hard on the wallet, but our "dentist" was very professional and Oscar was back to himself in a day.

If you have a dog/cat dentist close to you, that's where I would go first - they'll be best prepared to make an accurate diagnosis and suggest treatment.

Here's a link to our thread on the experience:
http://leerburg.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=159771

Best of luck...
~Natalya

Hey Nat.
The "slab" didn't come off yet...it's still attached to his gum!
it's not hanging off and the tooth below it is not exposed, but it's a loose piece of tooth. Hope that explains.
so he would defiantely have to have the vet remove it.
the Vet told me about the pulp, and he also said to have a slight feel around the tooth and see if i get a re-action from him. I didn't, but i also didn't feel under the piece that came off...so realistically something could be exposed under it.
i will try to get a picture when I get home.

I would, realistically, have to get it removed. Right now with Dave back at school our money is super tight (the dog eats better than we do!) so the cheaper option is what i would have to go with right now. He'll still be handsome without the tooth...lol.

Tucker's 9...so his runway days are almost over..lol

Just so long as he's not in pain, that's all that im concerned with.

so im going to go to my normal vet first, I really like him and he's always honest with me, and just see what he says.

unfortunately, like i said, i wish i could say money is no option...but right now that just not the case.

 Quote: wendy lefebvre

Hey Nat.
The "slab" didn't come off yet...it's still attached to his gum!
it's not hanging off and the tooth below it is not exposed, but it's a loose piece of tooth. Hope that explains.

Gotcha! This may actually make it more difficult to tell if the fracture exposed any pulp (getting that loose chunk off will reveal how deep the break really was, and at what angle it cut), but since it needs to be removed anyway, you'll find out how serious things are soon enough. If the pulp ISN'T exposed, you may be fine - removing the loose bit will be FAR easier than extracting the whole tooth (fingers crossed! ).

I'm glad it sounds like Tucker isn't in any discomfort from this, though that isn't necessarily an indicator of pulp exposure - even nasty looking breaks can be mostly painless if they occur outside of the gums, but if bacteria have a chance to work their way into the root (via pulp) and cause infection, it will be quite painful.

 Quote: wendy lefebvre

Tucker's 9...so his runway days are almost over..lol
Just so long as he's not in pain, that's all that im concerned with.

so im going to go to my normal vet first, I really like him and he's always honest with me, and just see what he says.

unfortunately, like i said, i wish i could say money is no option...but right now that just not the case.

Sounds like a fine plan. Unfortunately, $$ can be a huge factor, and we do the best we can - it may be that extraction makes more sense anyway, given Tucker's age... Either way, it's great that you have a solid relationship with a vet that you trust.

~Natalya

Yeah, he's a great straight forward kind of vet and doesn't sugar coat things or anything.

I don't want to disturb the slab, i figure if it's covering the tooth for now, all the better. So im not going to fiddle with it.

here's hoping he can just remove the piece, but like you said in that thread i would always be worrying that the tooth is now compromised and wouldn't be able to handle much chewing wise.

And he loves to chew.

He's still his same old happy self...but i think till Thursday i will be watering down his kibble just in case.

Stupid Nylabone! I should've went with my original thought of NOT buying it. Like i said, i guess he's a harder chewer than i gave him credit for

And although i would do ANYTHING for Tucker....i unfortunately don't have the finances to back up that statement.

Hi Natalya, I read the thread you are referring to and this was exactly my experience at the vet's - a long lecture and a lot of doubt as to usefulness of any dental repair for a dog fed a raw diet. After reading your thread I am freaking out again and definitely want to at least get an estimate for dental work from a *good reputable* dentist.

Does anybody know any good animal dental specialists in SF Bay Area? I have a huge problem with trusting vets - got 2 bad experiences with my vets and a big animal hospital (one ended in death).