Equine Dental Abnormalities:

Equine dental abnormalities are a common occurrence in horses and can lead to a sore mouth, weight loss, sinus infection and choke. The abnormalities can range from sharp points and hooks, which can be corrected by floating your horse’s teeth, to tooth root infections that require removal of the tooth.

Horses, like people, can get toothaches, cavities and gum disease. New knowledge and advanced technology now enable us to diagnose and treat these problems much quicker than before. Unlike human tooth extractions, tooth removal in the horse can be more complicated. There are several different techniques to remove a horse’s tooth. One technique, pictured here, is a sinus bone flap. The flap is created by making three connecting cuts in the bone and then “hinging” it on the fourth side. This technique allows the bone to be replaced and sutured giving a pleasant cosmetic outcome.

Extracted tooth using the “Sinus Bone Flap” technique.	Successful extraction with cosmetic appearance.