The Problem With Retained Puppy Teeth
Here's a riddle: How can tooth retention be a bad thing, before becoming a good thing? This is because you want your first set of baby (deciduous) teeth to naturally loosen and fall out. They're replaced by your adult (permanent) teeth, which you definitely want to retain. In fact, retention of baby teeth can cause developmental issues when it comes to the correct growth of adult teeth. It's exactly the same for your dog. So what happens when your puppy's baby teeth won't fall out of their own accord?
Resorption
Dental resorption is when part of the tooth or supporting tissues are lost. This can be caused by decay and general periodontal disease, but some types of resorption are perfectly natural. Resorption of the root structure of a baby tooth is necessary to weaken the root, allowing the tooth to detach and make room for its adult replacement. When this form of resorption fails to occur, there can be two teeth attempting to occupy the same space. How would you know if this is happening to your puppy?
Signs
Retained puppy teeth can be uncomfortable for your dog. The onset is gradual, and it escalates as the adult tooth erupts and begins to grow. There are key signs that your dog might be experiencing this form of dental drama. They might find it difficult to eat, and can even refuse to eat when the problem is at its worst. There can be excessive drooling, and your puppy might also paw at their mouth in an attempt to alleviate their discomfort. Additionally, their gums can be inflamed and painful. So what can be done about these retained puppy teeth?
Treatment
You will need to have your puppy's teeth professionally assessed. At the pet dental care center, it will be determined whether your dog only has a small number of retained puppy teeth, or whether multiple puppy teeth are being retained. When the problem is widespread, it might be suggested that you delay the removal process until your dog is ready to be spayed or neutered. Since your dog will be put under general anesthetic for this desexing, many veterinarians find this to be the ideal time to remove retained puppy teeth, minimising the amount of anesthetic that your pet is exposed to, and allowing them to heal from their dental surgery and desexing at the same time.
Although retained puppy teeth can be problematic, and can result in potentially serious issues if untreated, it's generally rather straightforward to remove these troublesome teeth.