How Bad Is This Malocclusion?

[ZoeHale]

No idea if that's the right spelling. Anyhoo, I took a look at Lady's teeth today, and lo and behold, she's got a large gap in her teeth! So.. How bad is this malocclusion, and how do I help her?

 

[jorats]

That actually looks pretty normal.

 

[Scythe]

:yeah:

I noticed today that all my boys have similar teeth, and when two of them were at the vet, I was told they both had very healthy teeth. :nod:

 

[Rachael]

If you actually gently push in their bottom jaw (this sounds cruel, I don't go around doing this to my rats) the teeth do splay. It's how they brux and boggle and keep their teeth down.

 

[Joanne]

Yeah, it really freaked me out the first time I noticed that their lower incisors can move independantly of each other, but that's normal rat anatomy. As long as her teeth are wearing evenly, there's nothing to worry about.

 

[MomRat]

It's also how they do major damage to predators, evolutionally. My only rat-bite scar very clearly shows where the teeth splayed - its V shaped.

 

[SQ]

yup, normal for the lower front teeth.

 

[Cigar]

Interesting.. I never knew that about the bottom incisors. I have a little guy with malocclusion. His teeth are white and brittle. The right tooth broke at the gum six days ago and look at the size of it. lol I know this other tooth is long, by the way. No worries. We take it slow as long as he's eating and there's no friction in his mouth.

 

i actually went to the vet when I seen this with all of mine, and the vet said thet they have very healthy teeth and that it looks normal.

 

[jorats]

Cigar, those top teeth are bad. You must need to trim them every week.

 

[Cigar]

I know they aren't tip top shape but like I said, he's not in danger so I decided not to push him. The vet doesn't want to cut his teeth without gassing him from now on but I'm not comfortable with this. I never press down on the clippers if I don't feel 100%; a full trim happens 3 times a month and this suffices because they grow sporadically. I never expected to see that tooth so soon. lol He eats just fine and I mush up blocks in case, he's an excellent weight. I inspect for any rubbing, etc.

I'm not saying you're not absolutely right, I'm just doing what I can.

 

[jorats]

Watch the bottom ones as well because the top ones aren't aligned the bottoms might do the same.

 

[Cigar]

I've been so blessed that his bottom teeth haven't caused any problems, but I do keep an eye on them (especially since there was that crazy growth on his neck that we thought could have been an abscessed tooth, but wasn't.) Thanks Jo.