"Missing Teeth" And Dentigerous Cysts

Dogs should have 42 permanent teeth, and cats should have 30. It is important to determine if teeth that are not visible are truly missing. If the crown of a tooth has broken and the roots are still present in the bone, they can cause inflammation and infection. If a tooth is present but impacted by soft tissue, it may be possible to relieve the soft tissue impaction to allow the tooth to be more fully exposed and functional. If a tooth is impacted within bone, it may need to be extracted to prevent cyst formation which could damage the bone and teeth adjacent to the impacted tooth. Some teeth never formed and are truly absent. This is a genetic condition, and is usually only significant for certain breeds that require full dentition for showing and breeding.

Find out more about these conditions and what can be done to treat them in the handout “Missing Teeth” and Dentigerous cysts.