Crooked teeth in dogs usually come down to one of three things: genetics, baby teeth that didn’t fall out on time, or a jaw that’s too short for the number of teeth it holds. Sometimes multiple factors overlap. The good news is that not every crooked tooth is a problem, but some misalignments cause real pain and need attention.
Baby Teeth That Overstay Their Welcome
The single most common reason permanent teeth end up crooked is a baby tooth that hasn’t fallen out by the time the adult tooth pushes through. When this happens, the baby tooth physically blocks the permanent tooth from settling into its correct spot, forcing it to erupt at an odd angle. Lower canines are especially affected. If a baby canine lingers, the adult canine gets pushed inward toward the tongue, and its tip can end up pointing directly at the roof of the mouth.
Puppies start losing their 28 baby teeth around 3.5 to 4 months of age. By 7 to 8 months, most dogs have all 42 adult teeth in place. If you still see a baby tooth sitting right next to a permanent tooth after that window, it’s considered a persistent tooth and is likely crowding the new one out of alignment. Checking your puppy’s mouth weekly until about eight months old is the easiest way to catch this early.
Jaw Length and Breed-Related Crowding
Dogs have the same number of teeth regardless of skull shape. A Pug has 42 teeth crammed into a face that’s a fraction of the length of a Greyhound’s. That mismatch between tooth count and jaw space is why flat-faced (brachycephalic) breeds are so prone to dental crowding. French Bulldogs, Pugs, English Bulldogs, Boston Terriers, and Boxers all commonly show premolars that rotate, overlap, or sit at angles simply because there’s nowhere else for them to go.
Decades of selective breeding have shortened these dogs’ skulls without reducing their tooth count. The result is teeth packed tightly together with minimal gaps between them, which creates problems beyond cosmetics.
Overbites, Underbites, and Misaligned Jaws
When the upper and lower jaws don’t line up properly, veterinary dentists classify the problem by type:
- Class 1 malocclusion: The jaws are the right length relative to each other, but individual teeth sit in the wrong position. A single canine pointing the wrong direction or a few front teeth crossing over each other would fall here.
- Class 2 malocclusion (overbite): The lower jaw sits too far back. This often pushes the lower canine teeth into the palate, sometimes puncturing it.
- Class 3 malocclusion (underbite): The lower jaw juts forward past the upper jaw. Breeds like Bulldogs and Boxers are intentionally bred for this look, though it can still cause the upper incisors to press into soft tissue.
Class 2 and Class 3 problems are largely genetic. If a dog’s parents had a significant overbite or underbite, the offspring will often inherit the same jaw proportions. Low awareness among pet owners has historically allowed dogs with these skeletal deformities to keep breeding, perpetuating the trait across generations.
Other Developmental Causes
Trauma during the months when adult teeth are erupting can knock the process off course. A hit to the jaw or mouth at four or five months old, right when the permanent canines are pushing through, can redirect a tooth bud and change the angle of the final tooth. Jaw narrowing or underdevelopment during growth has a similar effect, squeezing teeth inward.
Diet also plays a subtle role. The shift toward softer commercial dog food over the past century has reduced the mechanical stress on developing jaws. Chewing resistance helps stimulate normal jaw growth, and consistently soft food may contribute to underdevelopment of the chewing apparatus. This isn’t something most owners can control easily, but it’s one reason veterinary researchers see malocclusion as a modern problem that’s grown more common over time.
When Crooked Teeth Cause Real Harm
A mildly rotated premolar that isn’t touching anything it shouldn’t is usually harmless. But certain misalignments cause ongoing damage. Lower canines that angle inward can stab the roof of the mouth with every bite, creating wounds that may become infected or, in severe cases, form a hole between the mouth and nasal cavity. Crowded and overlapping teeth trap food particles and bacteria in tight spaces that a toothbrush or chew toy can’t reach, accelerating plaque buildup and gum disease. Over time, this raises the risk of bone loss around the affected teeth.
During a dental exam, a vet looks specifically for teeth contacting soft tissue, unusual wear patterns, difficulty eating, and food-trapping areas that signal a problematic bite.
Signs Your Dog’s Teeth Are Causing Pain
Dogs are notoriously good at hiding oral discomfort, so the signs tend to be behavioral rather than obvious. Watch for decreased interest in dry food or hard treats, slower chewing, dropping food while eating, excessive drooling, pawing at the mouth, or new resistance to having their face touched. Any of these can point to dental pain, whether from a misaligned tooth pressing into tissue or from gum disease that’s developed around crowded teeth.
How Crooked Teeth Are Treated
Treatment depends entirely on whether the misalignment is causing trauma or just looks unusual. If a tooth isn’t contacting soft tissue, isn’t trapping excessive debris, and isn’t interfering with eating, many vets recommend monitoring rather than intervening.
When treatment is needed, the options fall into three main categories. For persistent baby teeth caught early, simple extraction of the lingering baby tooth often allows the permanent tooth to drift into a better position on its own. The earlier this is done, the better the outcome.
For permanent teeth that are actively injuring the palate or other soft tissue, orthodontic correction is the preferred approach. Veterinary dentists can use incline planes (a ramp-like device bonded to the teeth that gradually redirects a tooth outward) or composite crown extensions that guide the tooth into a non-traumatic position over several weeks. These techniques work best in young dogs whose bone is still relatively adaptable.
When orthodontic movement isn’t feasible, crown reduction with vital pulp therapy is another option. This shortens the offending tooth so its tip no longer digs into tissue, removing the painful contact point while keeping the tooth alive. Extraction of the misaligned permanent tooth is considered the last resort, reserved for cases where other approaches have failed or aren’t practical.
One important reality: even when baby teeth are extracted or corrected early, there’s a high likelihood the permanent teeth will still erupt into a problematic position. Owners should be prepared for the possibility that a second round of treatment will be needed once the adult teeth come in.