What are retained deciduous teeth in dogs?

Retained deciduous teeth (persistent baby teeth) are puppy teeth that haven't fallen out by the time the permanent adult teeth have erupted. When both the baby tooth and permanent tooth occupy the same space, it causes crowding, bite abnormalities, and early periodontal disease. The condition is most common in small and toy breeds.

When should retained baby teeth be removed in dogs?

Retained deciduous teeth should be extracted as soon as the permanent tooth has erupted and both teeth are visible side by side — ideally within weeks, not months. The most common timing is at the spay or neuter procedure at 5–6 months. Delaying allows the permanent tooth to grow into an abnormal position that may be difficult to correct.

Will retained baby teeth fall out on their own in dogs?

If both the baby tooth and permanent tooth are already visible at the same time, the baby tooth will not fall out on its own and requires extraction. In dogs with retained deciduous teeth, the normal resorption process has failed — the root is still largely intact and must be professionally removed under anesthesia.

Which breeds get retained deciduous teeth most often?

Small and toy breeds are most commonly affected, including Chihuahuas, Yorkshire Terriers, Maltese, Pomeranians, Shih Tzus, Toy Poodles, Dachshunds, and Pugs. Retained upper and lower canine teeth are the most clinically significant, as they can cause the permanent canines to grow in abnormal directions.

Can retained baby teeth cause permanent damage in dogs?

Yes — if not extracted promptly, retained deciduous teeth force the permanent tooth into an abnormal position, potentially causing malocclusion that may require additional orthodontic treatment. The crowding also creates plaque-trapping spaces that lead to early periodontal disease. Early extraction (before 6 months) prevents most of these complications.

Retained Deciduous Teeth In Dogs: Causes, Risks & When To Extract

Retained deciduous teeth — also called persistent baby teeth or retained primary teeth — are one of the most common preventable dental problems in dogs. When a puppy’s baby teeth fail to fall out on schedule as the permanent teeth erupt, both teeth occupy the same space, leading to crowding, abnormal bite, accelerated tartar accumulation, and sometimes permanent damage to the developing adult tooth. This condition is well-recognized in veterinary dentistry and almost always requires treatment.

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What Are Retained Deciduous Teeth?

Puppies are born without teeth and develop 28 deciduous (baby) teeth starting around 3–4 weeks of age. These are temporary teeth designed to be displaced when the 42 permanent adult teeth erupt between 3 and 7 months of age. Under normal circumstances, the root of each deciduous tooth is resorbed (broken down) by pressure from the erupting permanent tooth beneath it, causing the baby tooth to loosen and fall out on its own.

A retained deciduous tooth is one that hasn’t fallen out by the time its permanent replacement has erupted — or when the permanent tooth is clearly in position and the baby tooth still occupies its normal space. When two teeth occupy the same socket or adjacent space, they create:

Abnormal positioning of the permanent tooth (malocclusion)
Food and plaque trapping in the narrow space between crowded teeth
Accelerated tartar formation
Early onset periodontal disease in that area
Soft tissue damage if a displaced permanent tooth contacts the palate or cheek

Which Teeth Are Most Commonly Retained?

The upper canine teeth (upper “fangs”) are the most commonly retained deciduous teeth in dogs, followed by the lower canines. The incisors and premolars can also be retained, but canines are the most clinically significant because:

The permanent upper canine tooth grows forward and outward — if the baby upper canine hasn’t fallen out, the permanent tooth is deflected, sometimes growing toward the palate
The permanent lower canine grows outward — if the baby lower canine is still present, the permanent tooth may angle inward (lingually displaced / base narrow)
Retained lower canines leading to base-narrow permanent canines are one of the most common malocclusion problems in small breeds

Which Dog Breeds Are Most Affected?

Retained deciduous teeth can occur in any dog, but are significantly more common in small and toy breeds, including:

Chihuahuas
Yorkshire Terriers
Maltese
Pomeranians
Shih Tzus
Toy and Miniature Poodles
Dachshunds
Pekingese
Pugs and other brachycephalic breeds

In small breeds, the jaw is disproportionately small relative to tooth size, and the roots of deciduous teeth may not be fully resorbed by the erupting permanent teeth. Large breeds can also have retained teeth, but it’s far more common and clinically significant in smaller dogs.

How to Identify Retained Deciduous Teeth

You can often spot retained deciduous teeth by looking at your puppy’s mouth from about 4–5 months onward:

“Double canines”: The most recognizable sign — two canine teeth visible side by side. The baby canine is typically narrower, more pointed, and positioned medially (toward the center) while the permanent canine erupts just lateral to it (toward the cheek)
Crowded front teeth: Multiple incisors in a small space, some clearly rotated or misaligned
Bite abnormalities: The permanent canine erupting in an unusual direction because the baby tooth is blocking its normal path

Owners often notice “double teeth” in their puppy’s mouth and wonder if it’s normal. It is not — it’s a problem that needs addressing promptly.

When Should Retained Deciduous Teeth Be Extracted?

The answer from every veterinary dental organization: as soon as possible after the permanent tooth has erupted.

Retained deciduous teeth should be extracted promptly — ideally within days to weeks of recognizing the problem, not “wait and see” for months. The longer a retained baby tooth remains, the more time the permanent tooth has to grow into an abnormal position that may be permanent by the time the baby tooth is removed.

The most common timing recommendation: if a deciduous tooth is still present when its permanent successor has erupted AND occupying the same space (two teeth in one location), the deciduous tooth should be extracted at the next available anesthetic opportunity — which is often combined with the spay or neuter procedure at 5–6 months. Do not delay beyond 6 months if you see retained canines.

Why You Can’t Just Pull Them Yourself

The roots of deciduous teeth are surprisingly long — often 2–3x the crown length — and curved. Extracting them requires general anesthesia, proper dental extraction technique using an elevator and forceps, and dental X-rays to confirm complete root removal. Root tips left behind cause chronic infection.

Attempting to pull a baby tooth at home risks:

Breaking the root — leaving a retained root tip that causes chronic abscess
Damaging the developing permanent tooth root immediately below
Significant pain to the puppy
Incomplete extraction

What to Expect at the Extraction Appointment

Retained deciduous tooth extraction is typically a straightforward procedure performed under general anesthesia. The vet will:

Take dental X-rays to assess root length and root resorption status
Loosen the root using a dental elevator (working between the tooth and socket wall)
Extract the tooth with forceps
Confirm complete root removal on X-ray
Close the extraction socket if needed

Recovery is typically smooth — puppies are eating normally by the same evening. Pain management is straightforward with short-term NSAIDs.

Can Malocclusion from Retained Baby Teeth Be Fixed?

When retained deciduous teeth are extracted promptly (before the permanent tooth has fully calcified in an abnormal position), the permanent tooth often naturally migrates toward its correct position after the obstruction is removed. Younger puppies have more positional flexibility.

When extraction is delayed and the permanent tooth has grown significantly into an abnormal position, the extraction alone may not fully correct the bite. Additional treatment may be needed — such as ball therapy, inclined planes, or orthodontic movement — and a referral to a veterinary dentist may be appropriate.

Prevention and Monitoring

Retained deciduous teeth have a genetic component and can’t be fully prevented in predisposed breeds. However, early identification and timely treatment prevent most of the secondary damage:

Check your puppy’s mouth at 4, 5, and 6 months: Look for double canines or any baby tooth that’s persisting alongside a clearly erupted permanent tooth
Schedule the retention extraction at spay/neuter time: Many vets proactively check for retained teeth and extract them at the 5–6 month procedure
Don’t wait for the tooth to “fall out on its own”: If both the baby and permanent tooth are visible at 5 months, the baby tooth won’t fall out on its own — it needs extraction

Retained deciduous teeth are one of the few dental conditions in dogs where early action almost completely prevents the downstream problem. A quick extraction at 5–6 months is far simpler and cheaper than orthodontic correction or management of malocclusion complications at 12–18 months.