When we catch dental problems early, they are often easy to remedy. However, if dogs don’t receive treatment in time, these difficulties can develop into bigger ones that may even need attention from a specialist.
One issue that plagues dogs is unerupted teeth. A tooth that has failed to clear the gumline can become painful when a dentigerous cyst forms around the unerupted tooth. These cysts can eat away at the jaw bone if they are allowed to fester. An unerupted tooth can be removed fairly easily, but if cysts have set in and the jaw is damaged, the animal may have to visit a boarded dentist for treatment.
Another potentially painful problem is cracked teeth. Dogs can damage teeth when picking up sticks and hard toys. When it comes down to it, they don’t know how to carefully play with solid objects, and physics is physics — sometimes the toy is just stronger than the tooth.
Tooth removal shouldn't be taken lightly. Pets need a thorough exam and dental radiographs to determine how deep the crack is and if it involves the pulp cavity or root before the decision is made to perform an extraction. If so, the tooth needs to come out to prevent future infection and pain. The good news is, teeth can be removed fairly easily, and pets can resume normal activities soon.