It’s no secret that we are busier now than ever. I venture into these blog posts to discuss and present practical topics (some simple some more complex) in a way that is hopefully easy to digest and quick to get through; so one can read for a few minutes and get on with their day. So….On With It!
Let’s define normal in dogs. In the canine patient, normal occlusion is seen when the lower canine teeth fit evenly between the upper canine and third incisor teeth, the lower incisor cusps occlude distally on to the cingulum of the upper incisor teeth, the lower premolar cusps occlude rostral and interdigitate with the upper premolar teeth, and the crowns of the upper fourth premolars occlude buccal to the lower first molar teeth. Here’s a picture from the American Veterinary Dental College website demonstrating normal:
Why are we defining normal if malocclusion is what we’re after?
Well, simply put, the various classes of malocclusion (classes I-IV – to be discussed in more detail next post) occur when there is deviation from the ideal occlusion resulting from jaw length discrepancy (skeletal malocclusion), tooth malposition (dental malocclusion), or a combination of both. AND…like many things (eg radiographs, lab values, etc) if we understand what normal is (and it’s variations of course), it is much easier for us to identify abnormal and ultimately decide whether the malocclusion warrants treatment. To muddy the waters some more, we are all familiar with breeds that have malocclusions which are considered “normal” for that breed (by certain breed associations). Examples include Class 3 Malocclusion in the Bulldog and Boxer breeds.
I leave you with this…which I’ll repeat throughout the series. Whatever malocclusion you are presented with, ask yourself these 2 important questions:
1) Is the occlusion comfortable?
2) Is the occlusion functional?
If the answer to either of these questions is “No”, then speaking solely from an oral & dental perspective, treatment should be considered.
Kevin Haggerty, MVB, Dipl. AVDC, Dipl. EVDC
Board Certified Veterinary Dentist and EBVS European Veterinary Specialist in Dentistry
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