Broken incisors

Earlier today, I examined a dog who had been adopted from a shelter. She was very sweet, albeit a little shy, and we could quickly see she’s a good snuggler. During my exam, I noticed some broken incisors and a broken canine tooth. Given her background, we’ll never know how she broke these teeth. Was she kicked? Hit by a car? Did she chew too hard on something?

What we do know is that 98% of broken teeth will eventually develop an abscess. Tooth abscesses, as any humans who’ve experienced this problem can attest, are extremely painful. Being the stoic creatures that they are, however, dogs may not show any signs of pain. The best treatment for this particular dog is extraction of the broken incisors and either extraction or root canal therapy of the broken canine tooth.

Lower left canine tooth is broken

Root canal therapy is a specialty procedure, and we can offer a referral to a qualified veterinarian if this is something you’re interested in for your pet. Remember, dental pain should not be ignored–the sooner it’s addressed, the sooner a dog can be on her way to healing and feeling better!