Jodi Moen Webboard User Reg: 12-28-2010
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Amber broke a front tooth awhile back, at the time the tooth was all white. I've been checking it periodically and now it has a black spot in the middle which I've been told may cause it to abcess. I haven't spoken to the vet about it yet, but does anyone know if there are any options? Should it be pulled? If its pulled will it cause her other teeth to shift? Can it be filled? Is it worth having it filled?
My animals are not "like" family, they ARE family.
christy mascari Webboard User Reg: 11-12-2012
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Describe the black spot in more detail. Is it in fact black, or orange-ish?
Does the entire tooth appear darker, have a gray cast?
If what you are seeing is the opening of the root canal, then the nerve inside is exposed and dead. This COULD cause a chronic, low grade infection. However, as long as the canal is open and is able to vent an abscess usually doesn't form.
Often times, what you are seeing is stain that accumulates because of the roughness/porosity of the fracture coupled with the fact the tooth is no longer self cleaning since it is not in occlusion with the opposing tooth. Also, the dentin (second layer of the tooth) is darker than enamel.
If you have the tooth extracted, the other teeth shouldn't shift. The canine teeth have very long roots that act as anchors/bookends, plus the other teeth, when in a resting bite, hold each other in place. The opposing tooth may super erupt (grow longer) but that should be of no consequence to a dog.
Tracy Collins Webboard User Reg: 10-09-2008
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One of mine broke a large back tooth once which required pulling. Never caused him any problems afterwards.
When you say "front tooth" do you mean one of the little incisors or one of the large canine (fang) teeth?
Pulling an incisor would be no big deal at all. An extracted canine tooth would likely alter the shape of the dog's muzzle--a cosmetic consideration--but still. I'd have a vet dentist look at it. If it is exposing the root, it's a an opening to a possible bad infection and will need some kind of treatment, possibly extraction.
Jodi Moen Webboard User Reg: 12-28-2010
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Thanks guys, it is a front incisor, it originally broke before she was a year old. The tooth is still white, where it is broken there is a black spot in the center with a light orangish ring around it and then a ring of white tooth. There is no swelling in the gum or any pain (yet). I'm not sure my reg. Vet does much with teeth so will see if we can get into the university clinic, they probably have a vet dentist. If she's has to have the tooth pulled is this something that is very painful? I think I've heard that dog teeth roots are much longer than people. Although I think I'm projecting, I had a bad dentist experience and I don't want her to have one, lol. Sounds ridiculous I know.
My animals are not "like" family, they ARE family.
Tracy Collins Webboard User Reg: 10-09-2008
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Loc: St. Louis, Missouri
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All my experiences with canine dentistry, the dog was under general anesthesia. For a little tooth like this, there probably wouldn't even be any stitches. Maybe a course of antibiotic afterwards. But should be no big deal. Except for the cost. Probably talking a few hundred bucks.
One of our trainers has Bouviers. His male shattered both of his front canines a long time ago. He had them replaced with titanium ones. The dog still has a crushing bite. I caught him a few times a while back. I don't have anything to compare to because the only dog I've caught so far but he crushed that sleeve. So it doesn't seem to have affected him too much.
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