Think Patches has a broken tooth

[papbouv]

Several months ago when at the vet's I said I think Patches has a broken tooth the vet told me no ??? This vet I have been going too for about 30 years will all my dogs I thought the vet was wrong still do so was looking for a dog dentist in Tulsa. They were showing on their web sight they do crowns on dogs teeth??? but the prices are way ,way up there about $3,000.00.Can't afford that was wondering since it is a large back tooth anyone know the out come of having a large back tooth pulled???? Now any advice know I think I will be changing vet's.

[Roberta]

Bernadee, has not slowed OLiver down in the slightest. He had a back one out a few years ago. Yes you can get crowns, but I would not like to pay that sort of money then hand that mouth a raw lamb shank. Olivers was loose, he has always had very pink gums, he lost his front smilie teeth at the last dental, but I thought they were loose. I think they are like humans, some have good teeth some don't, maybe due to how they were fed up to getting their adult teeth. Hope Patches is not in pain.
On the last clean in Dec 2009 we were told to stop all raw bones for both so they get hide chewies daily.

Roberta

[Gail]

Hiya, although I am a dentist I don't know a lot about teeth other than human ones. Holly-angel, however, had to have a back tooth pulled at the age of 11 when she had sheared off a cusp on the side which then exposed the pulp and led to an abcess. The only drawback was having a general anaesthetic which is always a worry but she didn't seem to miss that back tooth at all for eating. She had a front tooth which was wobbly extracted too. Dogs suffer from gum disease just as humans do, in fact, much of what we know about the relationship between plaque and gum disease came from early experiments using beagles. Dogs can also suffer from tooth decay if they are given sugary things to eat. I remember being quite indignant with the vet when it was suggested that Holly's dental abcess was due to tooth decay and gave an impromptu tutorial on the caries process!! I'd be reluctant to suggest putting a crown on Patches teeth since it it would involve a number of visits where treatment would, I imagine, have to be done under general anaesthetic (at least one appointment preparing the tooth for a crown and taking an impression from which to make the crown, then a second appointment to have the crown fitted) - I can't imagine preparing a tooth for a crown in a dog would take any less time than in a human so it could be a lengthy general anaesthetic compared to the time needed to take out a tooth. I could be wrong of course, perhaps things aren't as particular with doggy dentistry but I imagine it has to be just as delicate a treatment to get a good fitting crown that won't cause plaque to be trapped with the resulting risk of losing the tooth to gum disease. I must ask my vet about doggy dentistry next time I am there with Ivy and Tristan.  Little Ivy seems to be holding onto her baby canine teeth as well as having her adults ones! It looks slightly odd but isn't doing any harm at the moment. I keep giving her chewy toys to encourage them to wobble out.

Good luck with Patches and that tooth whatever you decide to do.

[papbouv]

Forgot to mention Patches is only 4 years old, a little young to be loosing teeth I brush her teeth almost every day have problems brushing her back teeth.When I had Gizmo the Papillon she made it to 14 & 1/2 years old lost one tooth at a really young age only because way back then I did not know to brush them.Patches has a yucky smell in her mouth even with me brushing the almost everyday that is why I think one is broken or something going on.Should not smell I also use the dental rinse stuff in their water,+ Patches gets the CET dental raw hide chews. I will at least take her to a different vet ask them to look at her teeth again I was talking to the person where I get my dog food.They were saying at the vet where I usually go people are talking like the place just does not care for animals like they use too do not care if they have your business  or not.