At Veterinary Dental Specialists, our team has extensive experience treating jaw fractures and other oral emergencies. Depending on your pet’s specific condition, we offer both conservative and advanced treatment options to provide the best possible care.
If your pet is experiencing a dental or oral emergency, please call our clinic at 262-622-2537. Our team will guide you on when to bring your pet in and explain what to expect during the visit.
Jaw fractures can happen due to trauma or disease. Vehicular trauma, gunshots, fights with other dogs, and blunt force trauma (baseball bats) are common. As the weather gets warmer, we see an increase in cats and dogs with these injuries in warmer weather.
Different diseases can also lead to broken jaws. Advanced periodontal disease can erode the bone to the point that it becomes fragile and susceptible to fracture. Cancers or tumors affecting the bone, different metabolic disorders, or infection in the bone are all possible underlying causes.
Signs of a fractured jaw include bleeding from the mouth, the jaw may skew to one side or the other, the mouth might be held completely or partially open, reluctance to eat or chew, and more. You might also observe your pet may dropping food, pawing at his/her face, hiding, or avoiding interactions with others in the household.
A veterinarian may also suspect a jaw fracture on physical examination. Diagnostic imaging such as radiographs (x-rays), intra-oral dental radiographs, or advanced imaging such as CT or Cone Beam CT.
Many potential options exist for treating fractured jaws. There are non-invasive techniques as well as more invasive options. Sometimes a muzzle or some device to limit jaw motion is sufficient to allow for healing. Other times we may need to consider interdental wire with splints, cerclage wire, or even using titanium miniplates and screws to put the bones together again. No matter what method is deemed best for your pet, there will be recheck exams needed to ensure your pet heals well. This might include additional anesthetized examinations with imaging.
With proper diagnosis and treatment, a dog or cat with a fractured jaw can still live a happy and comfortable life. If you suspect your pet has a fractured jaw, or any other dental issues or concerns, please contact us to see how we can help.