Specialty Dentistry and Oral Surgery
Prosthodontics/Endodontics – Part 1
Dogs that use their canine teeth for work such as members of the Sarasota Police Department canine unit not only damage them while working but also have a tendency to be cage biters.
To extend the working life of these dogs, cast metal alloy crowns can be placed to protect these teeth from further trauma. If fracture with exposure of the pulp is present, root canal therapy must be performed prior to crown placement.
Full coverage crowns are an option that protects the entire tooth.
Partial onlay or ¾ crowns may be chosen for those that are cage biters to protect the back portion of the tooth.
Prosthodontics/Endodontics – Part 2
Pascha is a male Rottweiler purchased to compete in the sport of Schutzhund. Police dogs are trained in this manner to find and subdue criminals. Incorrect dental procedures threatened his career as a select athlete in this field.
Porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns were previously placed on both lower canine teeth. This resulted in two problems.
Due to the added width on the crown trauma to the upper incisor and the gum resulted in pain.
The other lower canine tooth was fractured. The crown that was placed was identical to the one on the left canine, however the tooth was fractured and no root canal was done prior to crown placement. The tooth became infected. Losing this tooth would end Pascha’s career in the sport.
A root canal was performed to eliminate the infection and save the tooth. Crown preparation was done and the impression taken and sent to the lab for fabrication.
As part of the preparation the tooth surface area had to be surgically enlarged so that the crown would have enough tooth to stay on under the profound biting pressure that Pascha displayed in training and competition. This involved taking away a portion of the bone around the tooth and suturing the gum further down on the root.
Two weeks later the crown was placed. The opposite canine tooth was addressed at this time. To prevent uneven bite forces from causing damage to the mandible and the jaw joint (TMJ), the left mandibular canine would need to be the same height as the right.
A crown amputation and vital pulpotomy procedure was performed prior to crown preparation. This involves removing a portion of the pulp after reducing the crown to the desired size and placing a material on the pulp that will allow the tooth to continue to live.
This is following completion of the second crown application. Pascha competed two weeks after this picture was taken. At that competition he captured first place in the National Finals for his breed.
