# Titanium teeth, crowns or implants?



## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

Zoey collided with Ranger this morning and there was an audible pop! I didn't have my hearing aids in and I was still able to hear it. The back of her lower left canine broke and it looks like the pulp/nerve are exposed. The regular vet gave us antibiotics and rymadyl. We are taking her to Washington State University satellite vet in spokane next week. I feel like crap as I was the one picking up the flirt pole for Ranger and I didn't notice her coming in, I thought she was far enough away chasing a ball, stupid me.

I read "hunter is great" thread on Katya's titanium tooth and was wondering if anyone else has had something like this done? Will there be limitations? Fetch is her favorite thing, but she enjoys catching it, I hope that will be ok.


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

No limitations...Kyra had a titanium cap when she was about 1 year and a half and it was there her whole life. She trained regularly and was 6 or 7 times SchH3....

Lee


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## x11 (Jan 1, 2012)

wolfstraum said:


> No limitations...Kyra had a titanium cap when she was about 1 year and a half and it was there her whole life. She trained regularly and was 6 or 7 times SchH3....
> 
> Lee


 
how much $ ?


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

wolfstraum said:


> No limitations...Kyra had a titanium cap when she was about 1 year and a half and it was there her whole life. She trained regularly and was 6 or 7 times SchH3....
> 
> Lee


This is great news. She's not even 3 yet and although she is a pet, she is very intense when it comes to play. Thank you



x11 said:


> how much $ ?


We are getting a quote of $1,800-2,000 for the root canal portion and could be another grand or so for the titanium cap. The doctor floats back and forth between Seattle and Spokane, so we have to wait until she returns. We are hoping they will agree to let the lab my wife uses at her office do the cap, that could save us some.


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## x11 (Jan 1, 2012)

holy flapping duck caca!!!!


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## Anubis_Star (Jul 25, 2012)

1800$ for a root canal???? Crazy.

I work with a board certified veterinary dentist once a week. We've actually discussed crowns vs. other options for canine teeth, because Zeke has some enamel damage on one of his lower canine teeth.

In HIS opinion, he feels like crowns actually WEAKEN teeth, where the crown ends and meets the base of the tooth it can cause a weak spot and he says he has seen canine teeth snap at the base (remember a root canal is performed so the tooth is empty). He normally just recommends a root canal.

His root canals for canine teeth run around 1200$. Crowns require a second procedure - root canal must ALWAYS be done first regardless, and at that time the form is molded. Once the crown is made they go back in under anesthesia and place the crown. For Zeke to get a crown would be a little over 2,000$ total, for both procedures.

After talking to him, for just a pet dog I don't think I would do a crown. Just a root canal. Cheaper, and in his opinion usually stronger.

I've talked to my trainer about working dogs. He feels the same way about crowns. When one of his females broke a top canine tooth, he actually had root canals performed on both top canine teeth and had them filed down to the same height so she still had a good, strong, even bite. Cost was actually a bit more than a simple crown would of been, but he agrees with my dentist/vet that she retained stronger teeth than if she had a crown that could of snapped at the base.

I know people with working dogs that have crowns. And I know some that proactively have crowns placed on all 4 canine teeth for extra support.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

When Cyra broke her canine the board certified vet dentist did NOT recommend a crown *BUT* she also said "no tug"

She regularly did titanium crowns for the working police dogs in the nearby city and said titanium=yes, regular crown would not hold up. Our root canal coast about $1200 in 2006. There is no nerve in the tooth but it is not empty but full of gutta percha which shows through the tooth. 

What I asked her to do though and I am still not clear why she would not was saw that ugly tooth down to a nub because it did wear down over time anyway. It was an upper canine.


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

No root canal...she was young, the tooth was healthy and still "growing" - it had not fully hardened or filled in.....trying to remember exactly how he explained it!

This was 2001 or so....I think it was $400 or $500 for everything. This vet traveled to different clinics on referrals and I was allowed to be in the room through both whole procedures - the x-rays and taking the form for the crown and placing it - we actually put the crown in place at my friends equine clinic. I saw the vet at an event a few years ago and he was pleased to hear that it stayed intact her whole life.

Lee


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

Wow, that's quite a difference. DD tried to find more options for dentistry here, but no luck, we'll keep looking, Her apt is not until the 10th, which in itself sucks, I don't want her developing an infection in the meantime. If they are our only option, then hopefully they'll let us use DWs lab.


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

jocoyn said:


> When Cyra broke her canine the board certified vet dentist did NOT recommend a crown *BUT* she also said "no tug"
> 
> She regularly did titanium crowns for the working police dogs in the nearby city and said titanium=yes, regular crown would not hold up. Our root canal coast about $1200 in 2006. *There is no nerve in the tooth but it is not empty but full of gutta percha which shows through the tooth*.
> 
> ...


ugly tooth? did you do the RC without the crown?


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Yes, I did. It was fine but definitely ugly. Vet said only crown worth doing was titanium and if I was not going to do bitework it was a waste of money. In our case we had to do the root canal because the root had infected and had to be removed. If you can save the tooth before that happens go for it! That is why they are considered dental emergencies. (and they always seem to happen on holiday weekends)


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

jocoyn said:


> Yes, I did. It was fine but definitely ugly. Vet said only crown worth doing was titanium and if I was not going to do bitework it was a waste of money. In our case we had to do the root canal because the root had infected and had to be removed. If you can save the tooth before that happens go for it! That is why they are considered dental emergencies. (and they always seem to happen on holiday weekends)


We won't be doing bite work with her, I'm just paranoid, being young and so competitive with the other 2 dogs, we are concerned she may damage it again. Hmmm....Maybe overkill?


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Cyra broke hers in 2006, passed away in 2012. Never had a problem after the root canal. I had 2 other dogs at the time, one of whom she regularly played with. WE played fetch every day as well. I would also let her tug with the tug at her back teeth.


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

Thanks. On another note, can I ask why (respectfully) you are listing your dogs that have had hermangiosarcoma? I thought it was a link. I have had 2 pass from it myself.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

So many do. Since it is your thread...well...some think there may be a genetic element others think something else. I just don't understand why so many GSDs. Some ongoing genetic studies for that.


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

Mine were Labrador and a malamute, but I know what you mean about high occurrence of it in gsds. You see the threads people start and you know right away what it is and the outcome, very sad.

I talked to DW and she thinks she can work out something with her lab to reduce the cost of the titanium cap and still wants to go that route. We'll know more about that next week.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Anubis_Star said:


> 1800$ for a root canal???? Crazy.


You may be cheaper off when you take her to Europe. The vet costs are way less than here and it gives you a nice trip in the meantime. I lived in Holland for a while and there are just as good as vets as there are here.

That would be my plan when something like this happens here.


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## FlyAway (Jul 17, 2012)

Happened to one of my dogs. He had a root canal and the holes were filled in with that plastic material. The root canal was performed by a board certified canine dentist for $925.


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

What the heck! Everyone seems to have paid much less than we are being quoted. I did find another office that may be able to do the work. I will call Tuesday, maybe we'll get some better numbers.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Check out the more rural clinics; they are usually cheaper than in upscale communities.


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## Anubis_Star (Jul 25, 2012)

wolfy dog said:


> Check out the more rural clinics; they are usually cheaper than in upscale communities.


I highly doubt rural clinics are going to have the dental specialists that can do root canals. Usually it is just board certified dentists that do it


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## Anubis_Star (Jul 25, 2012)

BTW when I mentioned the tooth was "empty", that was bad phrasing on my part. I was more implying that the tooth was now lacking it's pulp cavity and was essentially a dead tooth (which is why many teeth with root canals become discolored). Yes the pulp chamber is filled.


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

We might have another option to get the work done. Don't know all the details yet, but the lab can make the crown for us and they know of a dentist other than Wsu who can do the work, we'll see if that pans out. 

In the meantime, I need to find more ways to wear her out. DW doesn't want me taking her for bike rides, something about blood pressure behind the injured tooth. Besides walks, most everything we do involves running or biting, this is sucking bad.


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## Verivus (Nov 7, 2010)

If she's just a pet I wouldn't bother with a crown. Just get a root canal. My GSD will probably need a root canal done within the next few months. I believe the board certified dentist quoted me about $1200.


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

Anubis_Star said:


> 1800$ for a root canal???? Crazy.


Zoey had the RC done last Monday and the crown placed and an incisor removed on Thursday. WSU turned out to be our only option and the dentist is only in Spokane one week a month then three weeks in Seattle. The cost was cheaper than the initial quote, it ended up being $1,900. Given the damage to the tooth the vet recommended we do the crown. They also wanted to see Ranger and make sure his teeth were ok and they are, he is built like a tank, teeth and all.
Here's a crappy pic as she won't hold still.


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