# Protruding Lower Jaw



## mary_n (Dec 1, 2006)

Bella is now 4 months and has lost almost all of her baby teeth. All of her adult teeth have come in but her lower teeth cover her uppers when her mouth is closed. She looks like she has a bulldog jaw. I honestly don't recall her mouth being like this when she had all her baby teeth.
Anyone else have this? Know of any doggy orthodontists?


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

My first Malt, Rosebud (RIP), had a jaw like that. It didn't cause her any problems. I guess there could be degrees of how bad it is that might necessitate doing something about it but I never even thought of doing anything about hers. Here is a picture..... It looks like she is smiling but that is her bottom teeth showing, not the top!

[attachment=18961:attachment]


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## mary_n (Dec 1, 2006)

She's adorable! Did her teeth cause her lips to stay parted?


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Typically, if the bite was scissors or even before teething, you will likely end up with that. The gums swell during teething and the jaws do grow at different paces in puppies. Unless the position of her teeth now are bothering her, I would take a wait and see approach. It may even out some or she might have an underbite.


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## mary_n (Dec 1, 2006)

That's encouraging news. It's looks like it's so darn uncomfortable although she's eating without difficulty.
All 5 of my kids needed braces and now my puppy. Oh joy!


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

Lol.


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

> She's adorable! Did her teeth cause her lips to stay parted?[/B]


Hi, I went back and looked at more pics and in all of them, once she was an adult, her bottom teeth were showing like in the pic previously posted. I hadn't really noticed before, though!!


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## Cosy (Feb 9, 2006)

If the lower teeth cover the upper teeth it's what's known as an underbite. Hopefully the adult teeth on the bottom will alter that, but it may not. As long as there's no discomfort braces aren't needed. Yes, they do have braces for dogs. I hope the baby teeth come out right away. Sometimes pulling the baby teeth can help keep the bite from going off.


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## mary_n (Dec 1, 2006)

Oh my goodness! Braces for dogs. I can't imagine!


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## HDHOG4ME (Jan 7, 2007)

My Hailey has a slight underbite too....causes her no problems. In fact, I think it gives her "character". It's hard to tell in the little picture of her but it does look lik she's smiling. It may be more noticeable on her album pics. Lord knows she has no trouble eating because of it








Sharyl & Hailey the Handful


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## bentleyboy (Dec 13, 2006)

Bentley has smiley teeth too. He certainly has no trouble eating and looks really cute and full of character. The vet said he had a slight jaw defect.


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## bek74 (Jun 26, 2006)

Ernie has the oposite problem and a bad case. Here are some pics of his mouth. I would say, that if it isn't causing your baby and discomfort and she can still eat, then I would just leave her.

[attachment=18987:attachment]

[attachment=18988:attachment]

[attachment=18989:attachment]

[attachment=18990:attachment]


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## mary_n (Dec 1, 2006)

Bella's mouth looks exactly like Bentley's. It definitely gives my character a little more character.


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## Janmae (Feb 5, 2011)

My 10 week old girl's lower gum and baby teeth protrudes more than the upper. Will she have a severe underbite when she is grown?


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## Tina (Aug 6, 2006)

Janmae said:


> My 10 week old girl's lower gum and baby teeth protrudes more than the upper. Will she have a severe underbite when she is grown?


Like Jackie said, the gums are swollen while they are teething. The thing I keep in mind is when the baby canines haven't fallen out and the adults are coming in. At 4 months old I evaluate mouths and if the canine babies haven't fallen out and the adults are peeping through, I have my vet pull the baby canines. The lower adults can push the incisors forward making the jaw look like it is over shot. Pulling the babies gives the adults more room to come in correctly. There is a small window to make the decision to pull the teeth, so you have to be on the alert. 




Experience The MAGIC


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## Cosy (Feb 9, 2006)

If the lower jaw is growing more than the upper jaw no pulling of teeth is going to change that.


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## Tina (Aug 6, 2006)

Cosy said:


> If the lower jaw is growing more than the upper jaw no pulling of teeth is going to change that.


At 10 weeks the baby teeth will just be finshing coming in. I am taking a part of the equation out by pulling baby teeth at 16 weeks old. Every dog has its own growing rate. I've had one who had an underbite (Rosie) at 16 weeks had her baby canines pulled anyway, thought the bite was a gonner. I was moving at the time so I didn't follow up right away. Rosie's bite when I checked it at 6 months old was a perfect sissor bite. I just wish I could have shown and finished her. 
Every dog has a different growth rate and how the teeth come in can affect the bite. What do you call it when the gums line up but the lower teeth are juted forward? In showing it is illegal to have braces placed on the teeth to correct them. I am not saying some people don't do it, just that they are not suppose to do it. JMO




Experience The MAGIC


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