Puppy tooth in wrong place :( UPDATE - GOOD NEWS!

[Hurtwood Dogs]

I'm not sure if this should be in health or here - sorry mods!

Since Dave's biting has improved slightly recently, I've been trying to get him used to having his mouth looked at etc.. So I've been able to get a good look at his teeth. I saw a 1mm round hole next to one of his top canines and at first though he'd lost another tooth but then as he started to close his jaw, I realised that it's a hole where his lower canine goes in when he shuts his mouth. The lower one on the other side sits properly just outside his top jaw when it's closed but this one looks like as he's grown, it's forced its way into his top jaw and made a hole to sit in so he can close his mouth properly...   

It's obviously never affected his eating as he was always one of the biggest pups in the litter and wolfs his food down here, but I'm worried it could introduce an infection into his top jaw or something. I'll talk to the vet next week but has anyone else had a dog with this? I'm wondering if it means he will have to have his adult canine on that side removed when it grows and also weather he should have the baby one removed to try and let the hole close up?? It's not sore looking and doesn't appear to cause him discomfort but I can't know that for sure 

Hannah x

[Katina]

Ok, from what I understood, your puppy has a little narrow jaw? So he still has his puppy canines? Get the one in the wrong position removed, and when the new one comes, gently massage it (pushing from in to out) daily. If the tooth is not very badly in wrong position, this should help.

[Hurtwood Dogs]

Thanks Katina,

Yes it's like his bottom jaw is a little narrow and so one tooth is unable to sit outside his top jaw so has penetrated the gum to allow him to close his mouth.

He's only 16 weeks old, would he have to have a GA to have the tooth out?

Hannah x

[Katina]

Yes, he would need GA to have the tooth removed. If it doesn't bother him too much, of course you can just leave it and wait to see if the tooth comes out it self. How ever, you have to make sure that when the new tooth starts growing the old one is out, because if the old one is still there it wil force the new tooth to a even worse position  ..

[Hurtwood Dogs]

I'll get the vet to 'look' at it and see if she's happy leaving it for the time being or not 

It doesn't look sore but he has been a really bad puppy biter - much worse than my last dog, so it could be aggravating him and might explain the exessive nipping  poor little thing.

Thanks so much for your advice

Hannah x

[Steelygirl]

One of Fred's teeth is the same! I didn't realise it was a problem til I saw this thread  . EEK

[Gilly]

This is called "base narrow canines" or to a veterniary orthodontist "MAL BN".
Personally I would not go to the Vets at this stage in the game if both these pups still have their baby teeth and the rest of the bite is correct, ie scissor bite at the front. If it is a mild case, the lower canine is just marginally out of place and not too far inside the mouth, as Katina says it can be rectified.
Keep an eye on the area in the roof of the mouth and make sure it stays clean. Watch for the baby lower canine coming out. If it starts to wobble and the adult tooth is a) coming up inside it or b) not directly underneath it then wobble the baby tooth until it comes out, leaving both the baby tooth AND adult tooth side by side for any period of time can affect the way the adult tooth will grow in.
Once the baby tooth is out and you see the tip of the adult canine coming through, massage it outwards daily, get puppy relaxed (that can be hard!) on your knee and gently place you finger on the tooth and massage outwards, pushing ever so slightly, best to do when they are a bit sleepy.
Purchase some balls that are about golf ball size, or which fit inside the pups mouth so that when they bite down on it, it is slightly too big for the mouth and will push the teeth outwards as the pup bites down. Take away all soft toys and concentrate on the balls and hard rubber toys as the adult lower canines are coming through.
If you follow the ball therapy you have a VERY good chance of fixing this yourself and saving yourself hefty vet bills.

Ball therapy – if there is adequate space between the maxillary 3rd incisors and canines then ball therapy may be suitable. This treatment uses a firm rubber ball, of the appropriate size, to act as a removable orthodontic appliance. The ball applies lateral force to the mandibular canines when held in the mouth, gently forcing them into a more normal occlusion. Once in this position, the natural interlock of the teeth acts as a retainer. This treatment is most appropriate for young dogs with no major jaw length discrepancies.

Hope that helps

[Hurtwood Dogs]

That's brilliant Gilly thanks very much... my son has some suitable sized rubber bouncy balls but do you think they may be too soft? Would actual gold balls be better?

I'd left a message for the vet to call me about it anyway so I'll post her feed back when I get it too.

Hannah x

[Potter]

Oh Hannah, just read this thread.  Poor Dave.  Hope you get something sorted, but brilliant advice given here. 

I'm now going to examine Daisy's mouth VERY carefully.  She has gaps everywhere at the moment, some big teeth, some puppy teeth - not her best look I have to say! 

Let us know how you get on with Dave's teeth/gap.

[Gilly]

A golf ball is probably too hard. PAH do a pack of 3 balls, like mini tennis balls, they are green, blue and lilac, they are a perfect size and hardness.
Don't rush into anything at the Vets at the moment as there isn't alot they can do at this stage anyway. If you are determined enough you should be able to fix it yourself 

[Hurtwood Dogs]

Thanks Kay, I'm wondering if it's also why he has been SUCH a demon biter and likes sinkin his fangs into chilled carrots and crying too   

Thanks for the advice Gilly, I'll definitely give it a go if there is a chance we can sort it without vet intervention. Have spent enough at vets this year as when Trev was dying we agreed to every test/treatment possible to try and save him    I'll check PAH for balls and keep an eye on the hole for any signs of infection or irritation. It doesn't look sore or infected at the moment but think his grown-up tooth will have to be about 1.5mm to the right to be in the right place  SO WISH THESE CANINES WOULD FALL OUT!!! Even though he's nipping a lot less, it hurts even giving him training treats, even if they only catch my hand gently, they're so unbelievably sharp!!

Hannah x

[magicflower]

Ruby had this problem when she was a pup. 

I noticed it when she was about 15 weeks old. I took her to the vet who examined her and said that she was too young to do anything then but to keep a very close eye on her. He suggested using a rubber ball or kong to try and move the tooth but, unfortunately, it didn't work for Ruby. The end result was that she had to have one of her lower canines shortened. Root canal treatment, really.

She had to have a GA when she was about 6 months old and then a further one when she was about a year old.

The vet shortened the canine so that it doesn't affect the roof of her mouth. She had to have the second op as the tooth was still growing.

Ruby is absolutely fine now. And the pet insurance covered all of the cost.

I hope all goes well for Dave.  You'll have to let us know how he gets on.

[Hurtwood Dogs]

Ruby had this problem when she was a pup. 

I noticed it when she was about 15 weeks old. I took her to the vet who examined her and said that she was too young to do anything then but to keep a very close eye on her. He suggested using a rubber ball or kong to try and move the tooth but, unfortunately, it didn't work for Ruby. The end result was that she had to have one of her lower canines shortened. Root canal treatment, really.

She had to have a GA when she was about 6 months old and then a further one when she was about a year old.

The vet shortened the canine so that it doesn't affect the roof of her mouth. She had to have the second op as the tooth was still growing.

Ruby is absolutely fine now. And the pet insurance covered all of the cost.

I hope all goes well for Dave.  You'll have to let us know how he gets on.

Thanks for the info - it's good to know. Did the baby one fall out then and the new one grow in the same place?

Hannah x

[magicflower]

The new one grew in much the same position.

I think the problem was more the shape of her lower jaw rather than just the position of her tooth.

Hopefully, Dave's tooth will right itself with the help of his rubber toys. I guess, Ruby was just unlucky.   

Tracey 

[Gilly]

The ball therapy method should work if the lower mandibular is the correct width and the deciduous tooth is just in the wrong place. Remember also the lower jaw can carry on growing up to 10 months old.