Malocclusions in Dogs

Once puppies reach six month of age, they normally have twenty-eight baby teeth, but when they reach maturity, most adult dogs have forty-two teeth in their mouths. When teeth don't fit together snuggly it results in misalignment which means a dog's bite is not as it should be. When this happens, it is referred to as malocclusions and the problem may start when a puppy’s baby teeth start pushing through which over time as their adult teeth start to appear, gets even worse.

The very small teeth found at the front of a dog's mouth on both their lower and upper jaws are known as incisors and dogs use them to grab food. Incisors also make sure a dog's tongue remains inside the mouth. Their canines are found just behind their incisors which are often referred to as fangs"". They also use these teeth to grab things. Their premolars are found behind the canines and they use these teeth to cut through food when eating. The very last teeth are found right at the back of a dog’s mouth and they care called molars which dogs use to chew food.

Signs of a Problem to Watch Out For

The most common problems that can make life uncomfortable and difficult for dogs when their teeth are misaligned include the following:

• Periodontal disease
• Irritation in the mouth where misaligned teeth rub on the roof or floor of a dog's mouth
• Extra wear on teeth
• Difficulty grabbing food
• Difficulty eating and chewing
• More build-up of tartar and plaque than usual

When a dog has problems with their palate, it often leads to fistulas forming in the soft tissue where misaligned teeth have rubbed which can then get infected. The different types of malocclusion include the following:

• An overshot jaw which is often referred to as a dog having an overbite
• An undershot jaw which is often referred to as a dog either having an underbite or a reverse scissor bite
• An even bite which is often referred to as a level bite
• An open bite - this is where a dog's front teeth do not meet each other as they should when a dog's mouth is closed
• An anterior cross-bite - this is where canine and premolars grow correctly, but then a dog's lower incisors grow in front of their upper ones
• Posterior cross-bite - this is one or even more of a dog's premolars overlap their upper teeth
• Wry mouth/bite - this is where one side of a dog's jaw grows that much longer than the other side
• Base narrow canines - this is where a dog's lower teeth protrude and they do so inwardly which means they can cause damage to a dog's upper palate

When a dog's teeth grow normally, their premolar tips touch the spaces found between their upper premolars which is referred to as a dog having a perfect scissor bite. Flat-faced brachycephalic breeds don’t have scissor bites which includes the following:

• Shih Tzus
• Boxers
• Biewer Terriers
• Lhasa Apsos

When dogs have overbites, their upper jaws are longer than their lower jaws so that when a dog's mouth is closed, there's a distinct gap between their upper and lower incisors. Very often, puppies are born with an overbite, but this corrects itself providing the gap is not too large. With this said, it is not until a dog is around ten months old that their bite finally sets and if things are not right, any improvement in a dog's bite will not be happen without corrective help. This means that over time, a dog's overbite may well get that much worse especially when their permanent teeth start to push through because they are that much bigger than baby teeth. It is at this point that a vet might recommend removing any teeth that could cause damage to the soft tissues found in a dog's mouth.

What Causes Malocclusions?

Upper teeth align with lower teeth in a process that's referred to as an ""occlusion"" and it is perfectly normal to find an overlap in dog's upper front teeth, but when a dog's mouth is closed, their lower fangs should fit in front of their upper ones. However, when things go wrong, it becomes known as malocclusion and in most instances, it can be put down to a dog having inherited the problem. Therefore, there is a genetic link as to why certain breeds suffer from malocclusions.

Treatment Options

In most cases, dogs do not need any sort of treatment when they have bite malocclusions. However, if a misaligned tooth is damaging the soft tissue in a dog's mouth or making it hard for them to chew and eat, a vet might recommend removing the offending tooth. It is also important that a dog’s teeth be cleaned on a regular basis when their bite is not as it should be because there is a greater risk of more tartar and plaque building up on them which can lead to all sorts of periodontal problems.

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