Broken molar

[gooeydog]

I was just checking out Goo's teeth (I usually check them lightly and brush them every week, then check them over well every other week or so and scrape off any tarter I see building up before it becomes like concrete), and her big molar on the right is broken. It looks like the point broke off, and there is "meat" (white and a little slimy) exposed. My mom said she's going to have to take her in for a dentistry, and it will probably have to be yanked out. She's been eating fine, playing, and acting pretty much normal. I'm just wondering if anyone else has had this happen, was the tooth pulled, and did the dog have any problems afterwards? (That is a BIG tooth, and if I was her, I wouldn't want it ripped out my head :o ). Thanks in advance for any help or advice :lol:

[gooeydog]

I was thinking the same thing about the pain threshold, she may not act like it hurts, but it may still be bothering her. I checked the tooth again, more closely and in better light, the "meaty" stuff I was seeing earlier is not soft, I think it's actually enamel, and that maybe she didn't chip it down as much as I had thought. My mom talked to her vet when she took our cat in for his vaccs today, and he said that if the root isn't exposed, it should be ok until she goes in for her vaccs (she'll be going within a couple weeks, probably sooner), just to keep a close eye on it for any signs of infection and on her for for any signs of discomfort. So, I'll update if anything changes, or when I know when she goes in.

[mouseatthebusstop]

a few years ago poppy was having a routine checkover at the vets. A tooth was found that needed to come out. They booked her in the next day. She had a minor operation to remove it . We collected her late afternoon. She was sleepy but fine :)

[gooeydog]

I spent a lot of time yesterday looking around online for alternatives to pulling the tooth, found all sorts of things.... root canals, fillings (are they the same thing?), crowns, pretty much whatever they can do for people, they can do for dogs. The problem is that the stuff is [b]expensive[/b]. A person on another board had their dog's canine tooth capped off when it broke, it cost them $1200. I imagine it'd be even more for a bigger tooth, and that's IF I could find a vet who does it anywhere nearby. I have some money saved up in case something happens to Goo and she needs medical care, but I don't think it's wise to use nearly all of it to fix one tooth, when she's getting into old age, where other more serious problems may crop up (I also don't see my parents agreeing to letting me pay that much to get her tooth capped). I'm going to check around with the vets at the clinic, maybe one of them does this type of work (in which case, it'd be cheaper, since my mom gets a discount), but most likely if it's too damaged to stay in, it'll have to be pulled. :-?

She has had a tooth pulled before (years ago, she was only about 2 or 3), the small "canine" right in front of the big canine, and it didn't seem to bother her much, but that was a much smaller tooth. If she does have to get this one pulled, I think I'm going to ask them to use the anesthetic they have that can be reversed by another shot, and wakes the dog up within minutes of getting the reversal shot. They used it on Haley before, when she was getting a drain put in her stump, and it seems to have less lasting effects than the normal anesthetic, plus if something goes wrong, they can bring the dog back up to consciousness quickly. The other dogs are also supposed to be getting dentistries when they go in for their vaccs, but they're all much youngher and don't mind going to the vets, so I'm not nearly as worried about them :oops:

[Aroura]

Tessa chipped one of her caninines when she was young, the root was exposed but I didn't think much of it at the time (this was a few years back now). Tessa got lucky, her tooth is dead, but aside from that she is fine now, I check it regulary to see if it is rotting or in need of attention. Yesterday though, I noticed that one of Monties front teeth is broken off, I'm going to get it removed when he is desexed. Its only a little one, but still its pretty disapointing to have him needing teeth removed at one year! :o

[imported_Kat]

Poor Gooey, but a broken tooth is easier removed than crowning it. Dogs are much more aggressive with their teeth when chewing than humans are, so a cap or crown isn't a long term solution. She will be in and out before you know it, but don't leave it as if it is now exposed she faces risk of infection, which could be a lot more serious.