There are many different reasons for an animal to require a tooth to be extracted. Some of these reasons, together with the specific tooth involved, mean that the anticipated surgery is likely to be challenging. We offer a referral service for extraction of teeth that may be technically demanding with a higher risk of complications.
Examples include:
Fractured teeth:
Extracting some fractured teeth can be challenging as often they are healthy, so still securely attached. Sometimes if the fracture is below the gumline, there is already a difficult root tip to remove.
Root fragments:
Whether a crown has fractured due to disease or during extraction, sometimes we are left with small root fragments which can be difficult to fully remove. Sometimes these fragments can end up in hard-to-reach places, like the mandibular canal.
Teeth with advanced resorptive lesions:
Extraction of teeth with resorptive lesions can sometimes be complicated. With type-1 (inflammatory) resorption, it is important to remove all the root tissue then you can see the tooth is already delicate and will likely break during removal. Cats often get resorptive lesions on the lower canine teeth. These teeth are arguably the hardest teeth to extract, due to the delicate, small amount of surrounding bone. Therefore, there is a higher risk of jaw fracture during this procedure.
Teeth with abnormal roots:
Some animals have teeth with extra roots or ‘hooked’ roots. If these teeth require extracting, they will be more technically challenging to remove than normally shaped teeth.
Advanced gum recession:
In some cases of advanced periodontal disease, the degree of gum recession can be very severe. This means closing the surgical site can be challenging. Incomplete closure can lead to further complications such as wound breakdown and fistula formation.
Extractions in difficult breeds
Some breeds of dog are more challenging to perform dental treatment on. Common examples include small and toy breeds, as they have smaller mouths and more delicate bone. These breeds are also more prone to dental disease. Brachycephalic (short nosed) breeds can be challenging as their teeth don’t sit in the normal position in the mouth, due to the shape of their face. Sighthounds such as greyhounds can also be challenging as they are prone to gum disease, yet their teeth are notoriously difficult to extract and their extraction sites prone to bleeding.