Welsh Sheepdog

3 year old

Male

Fractured left mandibular canine

Problem:

Caio fractured one of his lower canines on a grave stone while playing ball with his owner. He was seen at his 1st opinion vets for pain relief initially and then referred to our dental specialist to attempt root canal treatment, this would mean saving the tooth and avoiding extraction.

Treatment:

Caio was seen by Dr Smithson and admitted for an anaesthetic to have his mouth assessed and teeth x-rayed. Unfortunately, the canine had a complicated fracture which meant the pulp of the tooth was exposed which can be painful and lead to an infection if left untreated. The pulp is initially removed, the cavity is then cleaned to get rid of any bacteria, thoroughly dried and then it is filled. The tooth is then shaped and smoothed. This procedure usually takes a couple of hours from start to finish.

In Caio’s case we had to stage his treatment as when the pulp was removed it was still bleeding and the canal has to be completely clean and dry before it can be filled. This meant Caio had a temporary ‘dressing’ applied to the tooth and came back a few weeks later to have a 2nd anaesthetic to complete the treatment.

Outcome:

The procedure went well and Caio can now go back to playing ball without any discomfort. You can see the white part on the x-ray below where the canal has been filled. He will come back in the next 6-12 months to have another x-ray to monitor the tooth.