Occlusal Evaluation in Dogs

Genetic counseling for breeding pairs involves an occlusal evaluation and determination of whether any abnormalities are likely to be passed on to potential offspring.

CRITERIA UTILIZED FOR BITE DETERMINATION:

occlusal evaluation | Animal Dental Center
Retained deciduous teeth in a cat guiding the adult canines into a malocclusion

Bite Evaluation

Bite evaluation involves the study of an animal’s occlusion or how the teeth erupt and their position to each other when the jaws are closed. This can be developmentally altered or be predetermined genetically. In the case of teeth that have developed into improper occlusion from adult teeth malerupting, the underlying cause might be jaw trauma that affects the position of the young tooth bud. This subsequently erupts into an inappropriate position or becomes embedded and not visible due to the axis of eruption being disturbed. In addition to trauma, retention of baby teeth can cause adult teeth to erupt into an abnormal position due to the deciduous tooth’s root guiding the adult in it’s emergence into the wrong position

Genetic Considerations

Unlike developmental problems causing individual teeth to be misaligned causing faulty occlusions, genetic causes for tooth positioning involve the jaw growth which dictate the position of the teeth. Like hip dysplasia, which has many genes (polygenic) coding for bone development, the jaw growth is often controlled by genetic forces. These genetic controls are inherited and often passed from one generation to another. For breeding animals in which good-to-perfect bites are important aesthetically and in the show ring, malpositioned teeth, due to genetics, can impact both the health of teeth and the soft tissue around them.

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Our doctors are Board Certified Veterinary Dentists™

The board-certified veterinary dentists at Animal Dental Center have the extensive knowledge, expertise, and specialized equipment to determine the extent and severity of your pet’s oral disease and to provide appropriate treatment. You will have peace of mind knowing your pet is receiving a professional dental cleaning, diagnosis through radiographs and treatment of periodontal disease and other oral pathology. This treatment, usually combined with at-home daily oral homecare will also help to prevent future oral disease.
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