If the crown of a tooth is fractured or worn it is important to maintain the tooth’s function by restoring its crown. Whether it is a holding tooth, like the canine (fang) teeth, or an important chewing tooth, like the premolars and molars, preventing further damage with crowns and restorative dentistry is the key to oral health.

Dogs often chew on toys or objects that are too hard or too abrasive. Very hard toys (like antlers, real bones, cow hooves or bully sticks) can cause tooth fracture, exposure of pulp and subsequent pain and infection! Additionally, chewing on tennis balls or other abrasive toys can cause severe enamel wear leading to loss of crown substance and eventual pulp exposure. Dogs can damage their teeth by chewing on the bars of their kennel, doorknobs etc.; this is called ‘cage chewing’ or ‘cage biting’ and commonly occurs secondary to separation anxiety.

For teeth with congenital and developmental defects, we are able to use restorative dentistry in order to make the tooth fully functional. Our team uses composite resins that match the color of the tooth, making it look as natural as possible.