The Aetiology, Diagnosis and Current Therapy of Developmental and Acquired Equine Dental Disorders, by P. M. Dixon; P0707.1203

The most common clinical sign of equine dental disease is quidding (dropping partially masticated food) due to oral pain from sharp dental overgrowths, which can also cause bitting problems and occasionally head shaking. Weight loss is not a common sign unless dental disease is severe and chronic. With apical infections of the cheek teeth, mandibular swellings and fistulas; or alternatively in the upper jaw, rostral maxillary swellings or fistula and with caudal cheek teeth infections to paranasal sinusitis with nasal discharge can occur. The more common incisor disorders include overbite, underbite, retained deciduous, supernumerary and fractures of the incisors. A variety of abnormal incisor wear patterns occur, some traumatic in origin and others secondary to cheek teeth disorders. The major cheek teeth disorders included retained deciduous teeth, diastema, rostal positioning of the maxillary cheek teeth rows, developmental displacements and supernumary cheek teeth. The main acquired disorders of the cheek teeth are enamel overgrowths, secondary periodontal disease and traumatic and idiopathic fractures of the cheek teeth. The current treatment of these disorders will be reviewed.