RE: How do you approach a tooth resorption in dogs that radiologically looks similar to a TR type 2 (replacement) in cats?

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 13:50:38 GMT

Good question, Kadri.

The answer, I think, is: if there seems no other practicable way, you can deliberately bury the portion of root that's undergone so much replacement resorption it's inextricably mixed with bone. I'd say that was much better than doing bone surgery to remove every scrap of dentine.

Just be sure there isn't some issue you haven't addressed. What I mean is, try to see if you can work out what caused the resorption – very probably you won't identify a cause, but if you do then you might be needing to do further treatment.

[quote userid="12443" url="~/f/clinical-questions/30769/how-do-you-approach-a-tooth-resorption-in-dogs-that-radiologically-looks-similar-to-a-tr-type-2-replacement-in-cats"]I believe we do not yet have a follow-up study as we do in cats validating that approach, [/quote]

Not that I know of, and as it's not particularly common it may be hard to do such a study. As no more than anecdote, I can only say that on the very few occasions I've done this there was no further trouble.

PS. I do dislike the term "crown amputation". You should be removing much more than the crown.

RE: How do you approach a tooth resorption in dogs that radiologically looks similar to a TR type 2 (replacement) in cats?

Rachel Perry — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 13:01:12 GMT

Great question. There are seven types of resorption recognised in people, 6 of which we see in dogs. Cats seem to have two main types which we have called type 1 and 2. Type 2 is replacement resorption. The root substance is resorbed by the odontoclasts and replaced by bone. This is why crown amputation is justified as essentially there’s no root left . I do the same as you- crown amputate or remove as much ‘normal’ root substance as possible. We need a study on this for sure!

sometimes they’re incidental findings in older dogs. If no crown lesions then I might leave but as soon as crown lesions then crown amputate

Peralta, S., Verstraete, F. J. M., & Kass, P. H. (2010). Radiographic evaluation of the types of tooth resorption in dogs. American Journal of Veterinary Research, 71(7), 784-793. Retrieved Sep 14, 2023, from https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.71.7.784