Liz Buchanan BVSc MRCVS
Keymaster
Hello! This is most common in smaller breeds with tiny jaws, for example the Yorkshire terrier or pug, but can affect many breeds. Usually, when a tooth is ready to fall out, the roots will begin to disintegrate and the remaining baby tooth will therefore lose its anchor and topple out. However, sometimes the roots do not disintegrate yet the new tooth continues to grow, causing extra teeth ('shark teeth'), pressure and crowding. The new permanent teeth can be forced to grow abnormally as a result, affecting the dogs' bite for life and predisposing to dental disease. For this reason, it is now often advised that persistent baby-teeth are surgically removed earlier than they used to be, often as soon as they are noticed at around 5-7 months. Your vet is the best person to speak to about this as they know the particulars of your individual dog. They may sometimes decide to radiograph or refer the decision to a specialist, in order to ensure that they are doing the right thing.
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