Belleview Posted August 31, 2009 Report Share Posted August 31, 2009 My 3 yo has a new, badly fractured lower molar. Looks like a big crack running the length of the tooth as well as a slab missing. The dog isn't showing obvious signs of discomfort, but I want to be pro-active in dealing with it, and it just LOOKS like it must hurt. My vet doesn't do any dentistry beyong routine cleaning, but I have a referral for an extraction with another fairly local vet for Friday. I've used this vet for dental issues in the past with older dogs. My other option is to go to either Cornell or U-Penn and see if they can attempt to save the tooth. Big $$$ and I've heard mixed results on the long term sucess of molar crowns. I'm really only toying with the idea of repair because the dog is young. Pulling it seems to offer the quickest, surest way to end the problem. Anyone want to offer reasons why I shouldn't go that route? thanks. Lori Cunningham Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoofly Posted August 31, 2009 Report Share Posted August 31, 2009 I've had 2 different dogs with lower molars removed and they've not had any problems. Gael had *both* of them removed at the same time and never even hitched. Regular vet did the first dog, Gael was done by a surgical practice since it's pretty involved getting those things out.They can get more tartar on the upper teeth afterwards but i've not seen it be too bad on Gael. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaggieDog Posted August 31, 2009 Report Share Posted August 31, 2009 Pull it - I tried to repair Maggie's slab fracture of the upper carnassial molar last year and really regretted it. 1. The repair held for almost exactly a *year* yet cost $500 and 2. after the repair failed and the tooth was removed Maggie was MUCH happier - the slowing down I'd attributed to aging (she's 10) apparently was due to the fact that she wasn't allowed to chew on anything after the repair and depression/stress related to that. She's also stopped licking her feet so much. I will forever remember to ask about restrictions after surgery BEFORE deciding on a plan of action - the vet didn't tell me about the chewing restrictions until discharge and it obviously seriously impacted her quality of life for a year. I'm almost happy the pricey repair failed because at least the welfare issue only lasted 12 months vs. the rest of her life. She's just over one month post extraction and is happy as a clam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoloRiver Posted August 31, 2009 Report Share Posted August 31, 2009 Hi Lori, Solo had two teeth repaired at Penn -- upper canine and first carnassial (it's a premolar, but I can never remember which number it is) and they did a fantastic job. The dentist did not recommend crowns for Solo and said they only install crowns for dogs that require them, like police or protection dogs. Crowns often fail. The vets were VERY good about talking through options with me and discussed the literature with me because I did a lot of research before deciding on a course of action. At Penn they performed a root canal and advised me about chewing restrictions. Solo's root canals cost approximately $900 each, but that was several years ago and I don't know what the prices are like now. The cost wasn't that much more than it would have been if they'd pulled the teeth at Penn. I guess I could have gotten his teeth pulled somewhere else for less but I felt comfortable taking him to Penn and I was going to school there at the time. The carnassial Solo broke was a simple slab fracture. I decided on the root canals because both of the teeth he broke are structurally important teeth with big roots and Solo was fairly young when he broke them. He also does not have inappropriate chewing habits that would put the repaired teeth at risk. It isn't difficult to control the dog's chewing habits -- basically the dog can't have anything that is harder than a repaired tooth, like marrow bones. Both of his repaired teeth have remained intact for over five years. I just noticed the other day that Solo's chipped his repaired carnassial but am not going to go anything about it for now as it's only a tiny spall. Fly broke and split both of her big upper carnassials quite badly recently. Since she and Solo are now 10 and her teeth were both split to the roots, and she is a hard chewer, I decided to have her teeth removed instead of repaired. She has recovered well and is just as excited about chewing stuff, although it takes her forever to chew a rawhide now. Her face is slightly sunken but I think of them as supermodel cheeks. If your dog is a careful chewer and the tooth isn't split to the roots I'd go for a root canal with no crown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy V Posted August 31, 2009 Report Share Posted August 31, 2009 Hi Lori, Have the tooth removed. There is a vet dentristry practice just down the road that I would highly recommend. Come to Michigan and visit for a while! Yours, W Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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