Chewing abnormalities such as food falling from the mouth may be a symptom. The majority of malocclusion cases seen at our hospitals result from abnormal length of the jaws. If the lower jaw protrudes too far beyond the upper, the animal is said to be undershot. Conversely, if the lower jaw bones are too short, the animal is said to be overshot. Normally, slight malocclusion presents no great risk to the patient, however, the intake of food and chewing may be somewhat hindered.
Most patients are still able to chew quite well.
Tarter and plaque will build up excessively on teeth if abnormal wearing surfaces are created. Tooth wear can also be excessive if two teeth constantly grind on each other. In some cases of tooth misalignment, the lower canine teeth may hit the roof of the mouth causing injury and pain. Most patients require no treatment to correct the malocclusion. If teeth wear excessively from abnormal grinding, extractions may be necessary.