How can a dog break a tooth?
Tooth fractures in dogs can result from external trauma (for example, when their jaw is hit by a car in a traffic accident or by an object). They can also be caused by chewing on very hard objects such as antlers, bones or other hard, inflexible chew toys. They are more common than you might think because 20 to 25% of dogs have at least one fractured tooth.
The most frequently broken teeth in dogs are the canines (or fangs), the carnassials and the incisors.
How do you recognize a broken tooth in a dog?
Depending on the severity of the fracture, a fractured tooth can result in the presence of a simple chip on the enamel of the tooth or even the absence of a piece of the tooth that exposes the dental nerve. This is called a fracture with pulpal involvement.
Dental pain caused by a fracture can result in dogs by:
- difficulty eating normally and chewing food,
- excessive salivation,
- anorexia,
- signs of pain that push the dog to rub his muzzle and make him run away as soon as you put your hand near the painful area,
- the presence of swelling on the face revealing the presence of a dental abscess.
Are broken teeth in dogs a problem?
A broken tooth in dogs is a real problem, no matter how severe.
When the enamel is chipped, the dentin (i.e. the bone tissue located under the enamel) is exposed so that the affected tooth becomes sensitive to heat, cold and pressure.
When the nerve of the tooth is exposed, the dental pulp is inevitably contaminated by bacteria from the oral cavity even if the orifice is not very visible and causes significant dental pain. Eventually, the infection can spread throughout the animal's entire body.
How to react in case of dental fracture in dogs?
If you suspect a dental fracture in your dog, you will have to take him to the veterinarian without delay in order to treat it and relieve your animal.
If the nerve of the tooth is exposed, the treatment will depend on the pulpal involvement, the age of the fracture and the age of the dog.
If the fracture occurs on an immature tooth, in an animal less than a year old and the treatment is undertaken within 48 hours of the fracture, we can hope to save the tooth. The veterinarian can then perform a partial biopulpectomy. Part of the pulp is removed to eliminate surface bacteria and inflamed tissue. A pulp dressing is then placed over the newly exposed pulp to allow healing and then the cavity is sealed with a dental composite resin protective barrier.
In all other cases, if the pulp is exposed and the fracture has taken place on a mature tooth, the veterinarian may have to carry out a devitalization of the affected tooth followed, if necessary, by the installation of 'a crown.
The last option is to extract the broken tooth.