Any dentists out there with advice about wonky teeth??!

Re: Any dentists out there with advice about wonky teeth??!

Stephen Courtney — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 13:53:17 GMT

I agree with sentiments above, the mouth is probably fine, however as I'm a huge fan of toothbrushing especially in smaller breed dogs, I'd recommend adaily fairly rapid brush along the buccal surface with an enzymatic toothpaste ( I use virbac's poultry flavoured one) - works wonders over time, and in a Shi Tzu, benefits should be obvious within a few years at most.

If the teeth aren't currently causing any problems with the opposing soft tissues then probably there is nothing further to worry about.

Re: Any dentists out there with advice about wonky teeth??!

Julie Innes — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 00:24:18 GMT

Thanks, Evelyn- was hoping you would give your opinion

I'm more than happy to leave and keep a watch for now!

Re: Any dentists out there with advice about wonky teeth??!

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 23:23:16 GMT

I couldn't resist a thread title like that.

The first thing to ask yourself, and give it serious consideration, is : are these weirdnesses actually affecting the dog's comfort, wellbeing and health? You've seen the dog and I haven't, but I suspect the answer is no. In which case, you need do nowt.

Let us just suppose for a moment that something does have to be done. With the disparity in jaw length, orthodontic movements are not, in practical terms, a possibility. What you might just consider, if you have to, would be strategic extractions. These might be indicated for the following purposes: a) to remove a tooth that is damaging soft tissues (and the soft tissues are failing to adapt); b) to remove interference and provide space to allow another tooth to move into a better position.

However I'd risk a small wager that what you need to do is just keep a close watch on the dog's periodontal health, and extract teeth sooner rather than later when periodontal disease arises. But then you ought to be doing that anyway, it's a Shih Tzu !