Will Teeth Grow Back?

I know that many times veterinarians (and other professionals) shake their heads and make fun of clients or customers.  On one hand we probably shouldn't be laughing at the people that provide our livelihood.  But on the other hand sometimes people say things that are so crazy that you can't help but wonder what they were thinking.

Today I saw a dog for a routine dental cleaning.  His teeth were pretty bad and several were loose due to periodontal disease.  During the cleaning some incisors came out and we had to pull a bad molar.  These were pretty minor procedures but because of infection I sent him home with antibiotics.  All in all, a common outcome for a day.

When the owner picked up at the end of the day my technician was going over the discharge instructions.  The client then asked "will those teeth grow back?"

She came back and told me this and I just stared with my mouth open.  In 34 years in this profession that's the first time I've ever heard anyone ask that.  And frankly, the question kind of took me by surprise.  Other than sharks, I really can't think of any animals where lost teeth grow back.  Certainly not a dog!  When would an average person expect teeth to regrow?  

I hate to laugh at a client who was doing the right thing for their pet, but at the same time it was a really crazy and unexpected question.

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