My dog has a broken upper molar. When she had her root canal done,
she had a surface "restoration" performed also to replace a piece that
had broken off the side (with a dental resin). A month or two later,
the restoration fell out. We had it done a second time; and she lost
it a second time. The original root canal work seems fine. The only
problem is that the broken tooth surface harbors tartar and plaque and
causes gum irritation. Now our dog-dentist suggests we have a crown
made; but also warns that crowns can be broken or lost too, and
considering our dog's history, he's not making any guarantees. I
asked him about pulling the tooth, and he says that pulling the tooth
would be a "last resort". I asked several more questions:
- Would pulling the tooth solve her gum irritation problem? Yes.
- Could pulling the tooth cause other problems...i.e.. overstress her
other teeth, etc? Probably not.
- Would pulling the tooth leave a 'hole' to trap food, harbor bacteria
etc? No.

Based on his answers, I have trouble seeing why it is a 'last resort'.
In my view, we've given it a shot. We've tried to repair the tooth
twice, and failed. Yes there are other procedures we can try, but
there is a good chance they might fail also. Meanwhile, my dog is in
pain and will have to undergo general anesthetic at least two more
times if we have a crown done (more if it, too, fails). I say its
time to throw in the towel and pull it. What do you think?

More details about my dog:
female, spayed, 3 yr old, mixed breed, 36 lbs, healthy, active, but
not an obsessive 'chewer'.

Any advice appreciated,
Ken