06/04/2026
Have you seen this before??
This is the MOST common malocclusion I see in clinical practice. .. and it’s easy to miss.
Unless you are looking for it, you may miss seeing that the maxillary fourth premolar (108 & 208) are ever so slightly tipped palatally and/or have elongated crowns.
This results in these teeth making contact with the buccal mucosa +\- gingival along the mandibular first molar.
Some cats will help you out with developing a pyogenic granuloma at the site of contact.
So WHY do we treat these?
It is not just those that have granulomas, ALL should be treated - as without treatment there is discomfort AND can end up with significant attachment loss/advanced Periodontal Disease.
So HOW do we treat them?
Ideally, when it comes to maintaining function: referral for crown reduction/odontoplasty with sealant is recommended.
IF referral is NOT an option, extraction of the maxillary tooth to remove the traumatic contact.
EARLY detection and treatment is KEY 🔑
The longer there is contact, the more inflammation and discomfort and the more attachment loss along the occluding molar(s).
ALWAYS combine your oral exam (is there probing and/or recession) with your dental radiographs (quantify bone loss) of the occluding molar(s) to determine whether they need to be extracted or can be preserved.
veterinarydentistry oralpain pyogenicgrauloma toothythomson felinedentistry crownreduction felinemedicine
