The roots arevery fragile and will break easily if unduly stressed during removal. A broken root needs to be identified and removed otherwise it continues to form a barrier to the eruption path of the permanent canine and can cause local infection. In feline patients where the maxillary premolars of the buccal gingiva impinge on the opposing premolars and molar teeth, extraction of the maxillary teeth would be effective treatment. However, with the loss of the opposing dentition, the normal cutting ability of that side of the mouth is jeopardised. This does lead to reduction in natural plaque control during normal mastication. Teeth in the mandibular arcade might therefore be more prone to plaque stagnation and subsequent periodontal disease. The most authoritative text on the subject is found here. Verhaert L 1999 Journal of Veterinary Dentistry 16: 2, 69-75.

This is a sterile procedure to reduce the height of the lower canine crown that exposes the pulp. It requires a removal of some pulp (partial coronal pulpectomy) and placement of a direct pulp capping. The ball should "give" when the pup bites down. The smooth semi-hollow rubber is best. Tennis balls are abrasive and can damage the tooth surface but for a short time may do the job we require. As this is an elective procedure (e.g. sterile) it is possible to use a bone allograft to fill the void created by the loss of the large canine tooth. The graft will promote new bone growth within a few weeks. Grafts can be very expensive as the void to be filled is large. This can increase the cost of the procedure markedly.Talk to your vet about orthodontic devices. Your vet may recommend putting a device to put in your dog’s mouth to realign the abnormally positioned teeth. A popular orthodontic device for dogs is the inclined plane, also known as a bite plate. It is commonly recommended when the lower canine teeth point straight up into the mouth, rather than being angled slightly outward (‘base narrow canine teeth’). [2] X Research source This is a very delicate procedure and carries very high success rate (in our hands) since the availability of Mineral Trioxide Aggregate (MTA). We have used it as the material of choice since 2005. The previous agent (calcium hydroxide) was much more caustic and tended to "burn" the pulp. The success rate of MTA treated cases is quoted as 92% in a seminal ten year study based in vet dental clinics in Finland. This compares with 67% when caclium hydroxide was previously the agent. Luotonen N et al, JAVMA, Vol 244, No. 4, February 15, 2014 Vital pulp therapy in dogs: 190 cases (2001–2011). Even some soft toys are very damaging. Tennis ball and other toys covered with that material are very abrasive. The fuzz is abrasive itself. It also traps dirt/sand/grit and so now chewing on the toy is like chewing on sandpaper and can wear teeth down in a hurry. No exercise ball lasted more than a couple of days when used as a herding ball. This wasn’t surprising because they are not designed to be used as dog toys. However, if your dog has been trained to play Treibball, then any of these would make an appropriate Treibball ball. Conclusion Phew, if you made it this far, congratulations! You now know which herding ball is best for your dog.

After interviewing many owners who attributed their dog’s damaged teeth to a plastic herding ball, we noticed a trend. Dogs that experienced teeth issues herded the ball with their teeth.Leen Verhaert, DVM, Dip. EVDC, EBVS, first described the technique in a study published in the Journal of Veterinary Dentistry ( JOVD) in 1999. The title of the paper was “A removable orthodontic device for the treatment of lingually displaced mandibular canine teeth in young dogs.” I must admit when I first heard of the technique, I did not expect it to be as helpful as it has proven to be. The study documented use of the technique in young dogs of different breeds with Class 1 or Class 2 malocclusions. Dogs ranged from five to 9.5 months of age. Twenty-three of 38 cases were fully corrected without any other treatment. Figure 2: An example of an appropriately sized “appliance” for treatment of linguoversion of mandibular canine teeth.

The images below show a lingually displaced left lower canine before treatment and after application of a bite plane. The bite plane remains in the mouth as long as it takes for the power of the bite to tip the lower canine into the normal position by pushing it up the incline. For crown reduction of mature teeth, total pulpectomy with root canal treatment can be considered because the long-term prognosis is better than vital pulp treatment. Root canal treatment also requires less frequent radiographic monitoring than vital pulp therapy. These are advanced procedures and these cases should usually be referred. We have not found this technique to be useful when applied to deciduous teeth. If your puppy is at risk of this being a problem with its permanent dentition it may be useful to introduce the concept of ball therapy from a young age. This avoids them needing to go through a training period during the short window we have, when the permanent teeth erupt. Like all new toys, herding balls should be given under supervision. If you notice your pup using the ball incorrectly, remove it. Don’t worry! Not every toy is going to be perfect for your dog. Why not give your furry friend a

During testing, we noticed that some dogs without a strong herding reflex didn’t understand herding balls. Admittedly, most of this damage was caused by an overly enthusiastic German Shepherd. But if she couldn’t destroy it, then I’m confident your small dog won’t be able to either! Radiographic follow-up is very import to confirm pulp vitality and without a firm commitment from the owners to comply with this advice, it might be better to consider extraction of the teeth causing the impingement ( Figure 5). Orthodontic treatment The formation of an oronasal fistula after extraction of a maxillary canine tooth or a mandibular fracture during extraction of a mandibular canine tooth remain possibilities, even in young patients.

best soccer balls for dogs. Turns out, it’s actually the perfect herding ball for small dogs, roughly up to the size of a Corgi. Radiograph left lower canine before (left) and immediately after (right) surgery. Note the immature morphology of the canine teeth - thin walls and open root apices. A proprietary glow pigment creates this effect after the ball sits for five minutes under a bright light—the glow can last up to 30 minutes. Owners with young puppies identified with this problem at first presentation are advised to have the deciduous lower canines removed as soon as possible. There are three reasons for this: We have many of the JollyPets variety of balls. These are durable and affordable, although we have found that the density is inconsistent. For example, some are soft enough to grab and carry, some are not. Our German Shepherd loves the ones he can grab and carry.Gnawsome balls are covered in pliable spikes that most dogs can’t resist chewing. This version adds a bounce-activated LED light for nighttime play (or just extra fun). A herding ball is immediately available for your dog to push and chase, helping your pup burn off some of that excess energy – even when you are away at work. Ball Therapy is a great technique for dogs with lingually displaced lower canine teeth and normal or near-normal jaw-length relationships. Have your vet perform crown reduction. Crown reduction is a surgical procedure. Your vet will remove a section of the crown. This will expose the pulp, the sensitive material inside the tooth. Your vet will remove some of this pulp and apply some medication to the remaining pulp to promote healing and prevent infection. Finally, your vet will cover the pulp with a protective barrier (like filling a human cavity). [8] X Research source Ball therapy is a treatment used to attempt correct linguoverted mandibular canines (base narrow canines). At its core ball therapy is an orthodontic treatment where the appliance is removable, and fun to play with!