Dog braces for teeth are all about comfort and function. After all, your dog isn’t going to get teased about a crooked smile on her school photos. Teeth slightly out of alignment usually have no impact on your dog’s quality of life, so these teeth can be left alone. Braces come into play if one or more wonky teeth are either preventing her from eating normally or are damaging the soft tissues in her mouth and causing pain.
Situations that might call for braces for dog teeth include:
- Lance teeth, or the upper canines pointing forward
- Base-narrow lower canines stabbing into the roof of the mouth
- Severe overbite causing teeth to grind against each other
- Crowding pushing teeth out of position
- Retained deciduous (baby) teeth causing adult teeth to be misaligned
- Major dental or jaw surgery after a traumatic injury or an oral cancer diagnosis
If your dog has one of these issues, she may be sensitive about having her head touched, chew oddly, avoid hard foods, or leave blood in her water bowl and on toys and chews. But many dogs do not give obvious indications of oral discomfort.
Planning Dog Braces and Cost
Issues with how your dog’s teeth fit together (called “occlusion”), usually show up as her adult teeth are erupting. Dogs get their adult teeth between 4 and 6 months of age. Your veterinarian will check the teeth during routine visits, but if you have concerns, snap a photo and send it over. Some breeders are also knowledgeable and comfortable evaluating occlusion.
If your dog has problematic teeth coming in at bad angles, the best time to pursue braces is during or soon after the eruption of her adult teeth. Just like in humans, young jaws are easier to guide into place. Adult dogs may also benefit from braces, but the process will take longer.
In most cases, your vet will refer your pup to a veterinary dentist for braces. These procedures require some specialized equipment and extra know-how to ensure success.
Expect a series of visits over at least four to six weeks, possibly several months. The biggest appointment is the application of the braces. Your dog will be put under anesthesia and have full-mouth dental X-rays so the dentist can evaluate all the tooth roots and make the best plan for your pup. Then the teeth will be cleaned and the braces applied.
Your pup will need rechecks each week or every other week to ensure that the braces have stayed in place and to adjust the pressure as needed. These visits are much shorter and can usually be done with your dog awake.
Once the teeth are in their correct position, your dog will go under anesthesia again to have the braces removed.
The cost of dog braces for teeth can range from $1,500 to $5,000 or more, depending on your location and your dog’s unique case. Pet health insurance may cover the cost but check your plan carefully.
Note: Altering your dog’s teeth makes her ineligible to compete in conformation dog shows. Most dental misalignments are inherited, so breeding your dog is not recommended whether she has braces to correct the issue or not.
Types of Dog Braces
Braces are most used for canine teeth. These big teeth have long roots that extend deep into the jawbones, giving them strength and making them critical anchors for the rest of the mouth.
When your dog’s mouth is closed, the bottom canines should fit just ahead of the upper canines and behind the third incisors. If everything is aligned properly, none of the three teeth should wear on each other, and none should poke into the soft tissues of the mouth.
The type of defect in the mouth will determine which type of braces is necessary.
Masal Chain Appliance for Dogs
The masal chain appliance is used when an upper canine tooth is angled forward, blocking the space where the lower canine should fit. The goal is to tip the point of the upper canine backward, restoring the gap.
Anchors or “buttons” are fixed to the rear molars and to the tip of the offending canine tooth. Then they are connected by a sturdy elastic chain that applies pressure. Over time, the chain can be adjusted and tightened to continue shifting the canine into its proper position.
Once proper occlusion has been restored, the braces can be removed.
Crown Extensions for Dogs
Crown extensions are used when the bottom canine teeth are linguoverted or shifted closer to the tongue. This is also called “base-narrow” canines, because the bottom canines are closer together than they should be. Because the bottom canines point straight up, linguoversion makes the points no longer fit into the gap between the upper teeth and instead poke directly into the roof of the mouth. These open wounds struggle to heal because the teeth are constantly reopening them.
The goal of crown extensions is to angle the lower canines so that they are directed into the gap between the upper third incisor and upper canine. A long acrylic cap is placed over the lower canine so that it extends the tooth up through the gap. This creates a tube to guide the tooth as it erupts, directing it into the correct position. This technique also helps to correct mild issues with the upper canine pointing too far forward.
Inclined Plane in Dogs
An inclined plane is also used for base-narrow teeth where the lower canines are stabbing into the roof of the mouth. For this technique, acrylic is molded around the upper teeth with a ramp that guides the lower canine into proper position when the dog bites down.
The inclined plane is sturdier than crown extensions but will not correct any alignment issues with the upper canine.
Caring for a Dog with Braces
Your dog will need some extra home dental care while she has braces. To keep the braces clean, you will need to brush the teeth daily with dog-safe toothpaste and flush the mouth with a dog-safe oral antiseptic mouthwash provided by the veterinary dentist.
Chewing on bones and hard toys will likely be off-limits, and some dogs may need to eat soft food until the braces are off.
Follow the instructions from your dog’s dentist carefully and keep all recheck appointments to ensure success. Once your dog’s teeth have been corrected, additional care is minimal. Thanks to the interlocking nature of dog teeth, no retainer is necessary!
Alternatives to Dog Braces for Teeth
If braces are not an option or if your dog only has a mild malocclusion, there are other ways to correct tooth position.
- Encourage your dog to bite down on a firm rubber ball, such as a lacrosse ball, frequently to encourage proper tooth position. This can help to correct teeth as they erupt. (Do not allow the dog to chew the ball or play with a lacrosse ball, as they are a huge chocking hazard.)
- Crown amputation, crown reduction, and vital pulp therapy with restoration are all procedures where a wayward tooth is filed down so it can no longer cause damage and then be covered with a filling. The restored tooth will need to be monitored closely for the rest of your dog’s life.
- Extraction completely removes the offending tooth. This can be done by most veterinarians, but removing a healthy tooth is an invasive and sometimes difficult procedure.
Braces are the ideal option when practical because they preserve the tooth while still correcting harmful malocclusion.
