Guest Sula Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Hi All, I've got a 4 year old houndie with a slab fracture on her 4th maxillary pre-molar (the big tooth near to the back.) My regular vet said she was reacting when she pressed on a certain part which means the pulp is exposed. She said the treatment was to pull it. It seemed, relative to human dentistry, so extreme so she said I could investigate w/ a specialist. The cost of pulling is $300 which includes a cleaning while she's under. The appointment I made w/ the specialist will be $140. Anyway, cost is not that big of a deal but does it make any sense that I could potentially get a root canal for my girl and save the tooth? Also, would this require that she get a crown to protect the tooth afterwards? I have a feeling a root canal is likely $1000-$1500 and then a crown another $1000. Is this pure insanity and does this dentistry actually work on these guys? I got my girl as a rescue but a rescue pup and aside from this one problem her teeth are in great shape. And I feel like the one w/ the slab fracture is likely a very "healthy" tooth which makes me feel really sad about pulling it. Anyway would so very much appreciate any thoughts or words of wisdom. My consult is in a week but I can cancel it. Sula Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BauersMom Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 I would just pull the tooth. She won't miss it! Quote With Buster Bloof (UCME Razorback 89B-51359) and Gingersnap Ginny (92D-59450). Missing Pepper, Berkeley, Ivy, Princess and Bauer at the bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KF_in_Georgia Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 In people, a root canal always weakens the "saved" tooth. A root canal plus crown is possibly a continual problem and a financial sinkhole. A pulled tooth is just gone, and if the rest of her teeth are in good shape, she'll be fine without this one. Quote Kathy and Q (CRT Qadeer from Fuzzy's Cannon and CRT Bonnie) and Jane (WW's Aunt Jane from Trent Lee and Aunt M); photos to come. Missing Silver (5.19.2005-10.27.2016), Tigger (4.5.2007-3.18.2016), darling Sam (5.10.2000-8.8.2013), Jacey-Kasey (5.19.2003-8.22.2011), and Oreo (1997-3.30.2006) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spottydog Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 I wonder if a repaired tooth would be able to stand up to stresses normally placed on it, being the big "cruncher" in the back? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFullHouse Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 If it were one of mine I would pull the tooth and be done with it. Quote Judy, mom to Darth Vader, Bandita, And Angel Forever in our hearts, DeeYoGee, Dani, Emmy, Andy, Heart, Saint, Valentino, Arrow, Gee, Bebe, Jilly Bean, Bullitt, Pistol, Junior, Sammie, Joey, Gizmo, Do Bee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greytpups Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 I don't know about dogs, but in humans if you extract a tooth, the other teeth shift and can cause potential problems with how you bite, tmj, etc. leading to other problems such as headaches, painful tmj so it hurts to open your mouth, etc. I would ask about any potential problems like this, then, if no issues, I'd have it extracted. Our first grey only had about 12 teeth and she did fine. Quote Jan with precious pups Emmy (Stormin J Flag) and Simon (Nitro Si) and Abbey Field. Missing my angels: Bailey Buffetbobleclair 11/11/98-17/12/09; Ben Task Rapid Wave 5/5/02-2/11/15; Brooke Glo's Destroyer 7/09/06-21/06/16 and Katie Crazykatiebug 12/11/06 -21/08/21. My blog about grief The reality is that you will grieve forever. You will not get over the loss of a loved one; you will learn to live with it. You will rebuild yourself around the loss you have suffered. You will be whole again but you will never be the same. Nor should you be the same, nor would you want to. ― Elisabeth Kübler-Ross Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kudzu Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Ow! Poor baby. My knowledge of dental issues is very minimal but personally I'd just pull the tooth & be done with it. What are the pros & cons of the options? If you chose to do the root canal & crown because saving the tooth potentially had enough pros to be deemed worth it to you then no I don't think it would insanity. Except... if there are few cons to loosing the tooth & the money would burden you with debt than it could be considered insanity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
45MPHK9 Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 If it were one of mine I would pull the tooth and be done with it. Agreed. Quote Tricia with Kyle, our senior mutt dog Always missing Murray Maldives, Bee Wiseman, River, Hopper, Kaia, and Holly Oaks Holly“You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.“ -Bob Dylan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaryJane Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Can you update us if you do follow up and get more information about doing a root canal and a cap. I would be very interested in what they have to say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbhounds Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 If it were one of mine I would pull the tooth and be done with it. Agreed. I would extract the tooth--can be a source of infection and pain. I have never seen root canal/crown hold up. Stay away from raw meaty bones--they are infamous for causing slab fractures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kestrel Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 One of our dogs, Kenzie, broke that tooth on the upper right. We had that tooth and the one on the left (which the x-rays showed was cracked, so it was likely to break at some point, too!) pulled at the beginning of December and are quite happy with the decision. She can still eat just as well as before, and we don't have to put her through the whole ordeal again soon. Our vet offered the option of a root canal but didn't figure it would help for long. I looked at it as why put in a temporary fix only to have to put in (or, well, pull out!) the permanent one anyway! Quote Kendra, devoted walker of Henry (Tom Jones: Great Son x Lucia) Missing Badger (Vf Get R Done: Quicksand Slip x Ll Tee el See), 5/04 - 2/14, who opened our hearts and our home to greyhounds; Kenzie (Slatex Kenzie: Randy Handy x Slatex Chrisy), 4/03 - 10/14, who really knew what a good dog she was; Falcon (Atascocita Sabat: Dodgem by Design x Atascocita Barb), 9/10 - 1/20, who was grumpy and snarky but eventually a little bit cuddly, too; Grandpa Grey the Galgo Español, 2008 (?) to 2022, who made us feel lucky to be the ones to teach him about pet life; and Lucia (Larking About x Anastasia, 5/12 to 8/23), our first brood matron and the sweetest speckly girl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cleptogrey Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 If it were one of mine I would pull the tooth and be done with it. Agreed. save your $$$ for other needed care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJNg Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 I see that the other responses have almost unanimously been for extraction, so just wanted to address the option of root canal a little more. I don't have any personal experience with a root canal in the 4th maxillary premolar (carnassial) tooth, but I did have a vet dentist do a root canal on an upper canine on my mixed breed Corey. I decided not to go with the crown due to cost, and it's held up with no problems for over 3 years now. Of course, the canine is not a chewing tooth, like the carnassial, so there will be extra considerations in your case. Whether or not a root canal is even an option for a slab fracture depends on how much of the tooth is damaged, especially under the gumline, which might not be able to be fully assessed until the dog is anesthetized and x-rays taken. Checking on the vet forums, I found at least a couple vet dentists who mentioned that many of the dogs they see referred for root canals on teeth with slab fractures ended up having extractions anyway because of the underlying damage. And even if a root canal is done, you may still need to make changes to what your dog is allowed to chew on. Do you have any idea how she got the slab fracture to begin with? Or did she come with it? Hard chews (cow hooves, hard Nylabones, etc) are not recommended due to their risk for causing slab fractures. If she's not much of a chewer, or you can keep all hard chews away, and the tooth is not too damaged, root canal may be an option to consider. If you feel strongly about trying to save the tooth, it wouldn't hurt to at least discuss it with the dental specialist before you make a decision. Quote Jennifer & Willow (Wilma Waggle), Wiki (Wiki Hard Ten), Carter (Let's Get It On), Ollie (whippet), Gracie (whippet x), & Terra (whippet) + Just Saying + Just Alice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joejoesmom Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 I wanted to share my experience: Short version: Three root canals (two dogs) on the back "chewing" teeth. No crowns. Two have held up for almost 13 years. One developed a slab fracture, after about 7 years and the tooth needed to be pulled. Long version: As a new dog owner, I wasn't aware of the risks of chew hooves. Also, I live in the woods and have hickory nuts and black walnuts that the dogs delight in eating. My two whipadors (1/2 whippet and probably 1/2 labrador littermates), Shelby and Twister both broke teeth at a young age. Shelby broke both back upper molars at just 2 years of age. Due to her young age and the fact that I was making good money, I decided to visit the doggie dentist. His cost for saving the teeth by root canal was not much more than his cost of extracting the teeth. I do need to note that his cost for extraction was double my regular vet (who is not that inexpensive). One held up for 7 years before it developed a major slab fracture that could not be repaired. The dentist pulled the tooth and put some kind of material in it to fill in the whole so a pocket wouldn't form. The other tooth is still going strong. I should note that I don't remember what kind of fracture occurred originally. As a newbie dog owner, I was concerned about Shelby's ability to chew if she lost her only chewing teeth on both sides of her mouth. I now realize that this likely would not have been a problem. Twister broke one of her back upper molars about 6 months after Shelby (about 2 1/2 years old). I still had a great job with money to spare so I took her to the dentist for a root canal. I know it doesn't make sense, but emotionally I felt that if I did it for Shelby, I should spend the money on Twister. Sadly, Twister passed away this summer at almost 15 years old, but her root canal tooth was still going strong. If I remember correctly, Shelby's bill for two root canals was $1800 and this was 13 years ago. Twister's was about $1200 for one root canal. If all this happened today: I am currently unemployed, living on savings. I know a lot more about teeth, thanks to now owning a greyhound and greytalk. I recognize that even if a dog can't chew at all, they can eat smaller size kibble and digest it just fine. So if it happened today, with money being tight, I would feel totally comfortable just having the teeth pulled. If I was still making 6 figures, I would probably go back to the doggie dentist and see what he recommended. Hope this helps you. Jane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sula Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 Wow, thank you all so very much for the feedback. This is an amazingly responsive knowledgeable and generous community. Given that it could be possible that a root canal might work--depending on severity of the situation and how much tooth is left, where the fracture is, etc. I am feeling compelled to at least take the next step and have her looked at by the dentist (keep the Friday appointment.) I am feeling, very fortunately, that I am okay financially enough to explore and potentially act on a recommendation if I think it could effectively save the tooth and keep it in tact for many year (who knows, it is a big chewing tooth but the dentist could have some insight.) Her teeth are in generally great shape so I'm somewhat hoping that the problem tooth has a lot of tooth structure left and it's good structure. But who knows. I do feel very relieved to know that if they do need to pull it that she will be okay though. We do not give her super hard stuff (dental chews and bully sticks) but she has caught some rabbits and who knows what they get into in the woods where I run her. She came with no cavities as she was a pup! Here is a pup pic: http://cowprintdoggie.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/stellapup4monhts.jpg Here she is showing off her pearly whites! http://cowprintdoggie.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/dream-runner-11.jpg Can you imagine a gold crown in the back there?? LOL. I will keep you all posted on the Tale of the 4Th Maxillary Premolar-Slab Fracture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 I don't understand why you're even considering a root canal. She won't miss the tooth. She isn't a person, after all, and has no vanity, and also no need for the tooth. I don't know about your dog, but mine doesn't chew his foot at ALL. I'm sure I could remove all of his teeth and it wouldn't slow him down a bit. I'm guessing that it would take significantly longer to perform a root canal vsd. pulling the tooth. I'd worry about keeping my dog under longer than was necessary. Quote Susan, Hamish, Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJNg Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 I don't understand why you're even considering a root canal. She won't miss the tooth. For a young dog who enjoys chewing, I think a root canal is worth considering. They chew with their carnasssial teeth, and I think extracting one of these teeth does have some effect on whether the dog can enjoy chewing as much. Regardless of whether a dog has intact teeth, a repaired fracture/root canal, or a crown, vet dentists recommend only allowing soft chews, such as rawhides, Greenies, and the softer dental chews. I've never gotten bully sticks for my dogs, so I don't know how hard they are, but I know vet dentists report seeing slab fractures caused by bully sticks. Quote Jennifer & Willow (Wilma Waggle), Wiki (Wiki Hard Ten), Carter (Let's Get It On), Ollie (whippet), Gracie (whippet x), & Terra (whippet) + Just Saying + Just Alice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joejoesmom Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 What a cutie. And her pearly whites are indeed very white! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bean_Scotch Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 Just get rid of the tooth. My Greyhound had 12 teeth pulled last year, and another one this year. She still eats hard kibble and chews on bones without an issue. Save yourself the $$ and just get rid of it. She won't miss it. I promise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sula Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 Hi All, I wanted to give you the update. I saw the dental specialist. She said because it was a fresh fracture that the chances for a successful root canal were about 95%. Perfect! However, I then got the estimate which wasn't so perfect. It was $2000. Plus they insist that you have it checked every 18 months which involves anesthesia and another $700. It is $297.50 for extraction including a teeth cleaning. As much as I would love to be able to save the tooth I am simply not comfortable paying that much for one tooth. I would pay that kind of money if my girl had something seriously wrong systemically like cancer or orthoepically like a torn ACL, but I can't get behind this expense. Thanks everyone for weighing in. It is good to know that she will be no worse for wear with the extraction and ultimately out of pain. Sula Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sula Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 Update: I thought it would be interesting and helpful to provide this update. Over the weekend I watched my girl closely and by this morning she seemed to have a great deal less sensitivity with that tooth. I went in this morning for her extraction appointment but met with the vet first to make sure she actually would need it. The vet palpated her tooth/jaw and said I was right: she was much less sensitive. She said it may have been that the fracture was very fresh and that it could be getting better. So...with that, we cancelled the extraction and I'll keep an eye on her. The vet said she usually sees slab fractures that aren't as fresh and hence not as sensitive. So maybe she'll be okay w/out doing anything. The dental specialists also said no bully sticks. The vet said she sees maybe one in a hundred dogs that have a problem with bullies. Any thoughts? Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbhounds Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 (edited) Kinda surprised they put off the extraction. A fractured tooth is a source of infection and should be extracted before a tooth root abscess sets in. Edited to add-- perhaps the pulp isn't exposed?? Maybe get the records from the dentist for his evaluation. Edited January 9, 2012 by tbhounds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jettcricket Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 Hi All, I wanted to give you the update. I saw the dental specialist. She said because it was a fresh fracture that the chances for a successful root canal were about 95%. Perfect! However, I then got the estimate which wasn't so perfect. It was $2000. Plus they insist that you have it checked every 18 months which involves anesthesia and another $700. It is $297.50 for extraction including a teeth cleaning. As much as I would love to be able to save the tooth I am simply not comfortable paying that much for one tooth. I would pay that kind of money if my girl had something seriously wrong systemically like cancer or orthoepically like a torn ACL, but I can't get behind this expense. Thanks everyone for weighing in. It is good to know that she will be no worse for wear with the extraction and ultimately out of pain. Sula That's insane...sometimes I can't help but think it's all about the money.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sula Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 TB Hounds, I think a slab fracture can end up being fine--not a source of infection--it just depends on the specific fracture. It could be that the outside came off near the gum line making her sensitive vs. dentin exposure. The vet definitely did not think it needed to be pulled today but wants to do a re-check in a couple of weeks. Jettcricket, yeah, I began to feel like I was in a timeshare pitch--not fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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