Why, when and how to successfully extract a deciduous tooth

Deciduous teeth should erupt and exfoliate in the few months before a dog enters adulthood. For this reason, there is often reluctance or a lack of knowledge as to why these teeth may need to be extracted. However, there are three main indications for the extraction of deciduous teeth; injury or fracture; persistence of a deciduous tooth; or to manage a malocclusion with extractions, which is also known as ‘interceptive orthodontics’. The extractions for all three indications are time sensitive. They should be viewed as urgent in the case of fractures, and procedures to perform as soon as possible for the other indications. Extraction should be done with a careful open approach; they need to be complete, and radiographs are essential.