# Capping Canines



## Gerry Grimwood (Apr 2, 2007)

Maybe this should be a poll, I have a dog that is chiseling the 4 canines down to the point I can see the begginings of a small brown spot in the center of the tip of the tooth area, geting close to the area that may require a root canal first.

I don't know how he's doing this, it must be something he does when I'm not around.

I'm going to find out next week what it will cost to have these 4 teeth capped/fixed, fortunate for me that my wife works at a dental clinic that has done this before and the guys there like to do different things..so I'm hoping on the dental part to get away with a lab bill.

This will involve 2 separate sedations which may have to be done by a vet, I'm not sure yet but if it does, then this will probably be the most expensive part.

Anybody interested in ballparking the cost just for the hell of it ?? I will know by next wednesday.


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## Nancy Jocoy (Apr 19, 2006)

Bet its a lot. All my dogs' teeth are that way and have been for a good while with no apparent ill effects

..........I would be concerned of doing more harm than good.


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## Nicole Stark (Jul 22, 2009)

$2200? Just a random guess. Course if you are getting a deal... who knows. Could be peaches. Could be lunchmeat.


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## Gerry Grimwood (Apr 2, 2007)

Nancy Jocoy said:


> Bet its a lot. All my dogs' teeth are that way and have been for a good while with no apparent ill effects
> 
> ..........I would be concerned of doing more harm than good.


That's the nice thing about dogs, they don't complain.

capping 4 teeth on any dog will only hurt your bank account.


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## Howard Knauf (May 10, 2008)

A little over 7 grand for my dog...that's with a police discount. No root canals, just caps.

Be aware...capping requires that the exterior of the tooth be relieved so the mouth closes without binding. Relieving the tooth makes it weaker.


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## Gerry Grimwood (Apr 2, 2007)

Howard Knauf said:


> A little over 7 grand for my dog...that's with a police discount. No root canals, just caps.


You need to marry a hygenist.

Well, for a week or two.


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## Howard Knauf (May 10, 2008)

Didn't cost me a dime...the city, on the other hand twernt too happy.


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## Nicole Stark (Jul 22, 2009)

WOW. 7 grand? Quite a bit more than I even imagined. My grandparents house cost them $12,000. Course that was a long time ago, but still.


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## Gerry Grimwood (Apr 2, 2007)

Howard Knauf said:


> Be aware...capping requires that the exterior of the tooth be relieved so the mouth closes without binding. Relieving the tooth makes it weaker.


My wife told me something to that effect, These guys will tell me if it's worthwhile doing or not.

If it appears to be better than letting them wear down to nubs i'll try it.


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## Howard Knauf (May 10, 2008)

1,700 per canine. That's not all. He fractured two incisors going for a ball on the pavement. One was extracted, the other was root canal and cap...2,200 I think for that job. He lost it a week later doing bite work. Thats was a bummer.


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## Howard Knauf (May 10, 2008)

Roscoe's grill .....R.I.P


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## Gerry Grimwood (Apr 2, 2007)

Howard Knauf said:


> One was extracted, the other was root canal and cap...2,200 I think for that job. He lost it a week later doing bite work. Thats was a bummer.


After a root canal the tooth is dead because the nerve is removed and is brittle even if capped, the same goes for people.

Better to get an implant, I don't know if it would be any better for a dog that's biting though.


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## Gerry Grimwood (Apr 2, 2007)

Howard Knauf said:


> Roscoe's grill .....R.I.P


Was that stainless ??


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## Howard Knauf (May 10, 2008)

Stainless/titanium blend. A metal detector won't pick it up....and high temps will melt it (I have three of his...the fourth went with him to the rainbow bridge; no sign of it was found at the crematorium)


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## Gerry Grimwood (Apr 2, 2007)

Did Roscoe have any problems in any way having these teeth capped ?


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## Howard Knauf (May 10, 2008)

The only real problem he had was biting his tongue during bite work....and only then, sporadically. It usually happened when he was getting tired. They were hell on bad guys though...and me when he had the odd brain fart and hit me with the rare frustration bite. Even though the roots were intact...complete feeling was reduced I'm sure. He never had an issue biting flesh, but those things seemed to really get him to bear down harder.


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## Gerry Grimwood (Apr 2, 2007)

Thanks Howard.


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## Jim Nash (Mar 30, 2006)

Gerry , I'd just like to add that when I got my current K9 partner back in 2002 he was 2 and already had that issue with his canines . They are all flat at the top with the spot in the middle . 

I had our vet look at them and they said not to worry about it if he's not showing any problems with bitting . I did ALOT of bitwork training with him since and there has been a bit more flattening but he hasn't had a problem yet , on equipment or real badguys . Like you I don't know where it started because he's not a chewer other then when I originally got him he would make quick work of his water bucket if he saw the neighborhood kids running around . That got fixed fairly quickly . 

Overall I've had no dental problems with him yet (cross fingers) though they do need a good cleaning now . He has always gotten comments though on those flattened canines .


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## Gerry Grimwood (Apr 2, 2007)

Turns out the lab bill alone would be around 5 thousand for 4 teeth, plus the vet fees for 2 sedations.

Not gonna happen.


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