23 Feb Delayed Eruption
Delayed eruption refers to a condition in which teeth don’t appear on schedule (see below). This could occur with the late appearance of baby (deciduous) teeth or adult (permanent) teeth. A delay in tooth appearance should be differentiated from tooth absence ( Missing Teeth or Unerupted Teeth ).
In some breeds, delayed eruption is a common occurrence:
- Soft Coated Wheaton Terrier
- Lhasa Apso
- Maltese
- Portugese Water Dog
- Tibetan Terrier
- Havanese
- Shih Tzu
In some cases, like in the breeds listed above, a temporary delay in the eruption of teeth does not cause a problem. However, if a predisposing condition is present or the tooth eruption delay is excessive, serious problems can develop like tooth impaction or dentigerous cyst formation. Often the delayed appearance of teeth coincides with abnormally thickened gum tissue ( Fibromatous gingivae ). This is a treatable condition; however, the prognosis is better with earlier intervention.