Dental Extractions
Horses may need their teeth extracted for various reasons.
Most frequently this is related to tooth root infections, tooth fractures or when there is irreversible severe gum disease surrounding the tooth.
Historically, teeth would be literally hammered out with a punch. This is not considered a recommended technique anymore due to the high degree of complications following this intervention.
At GVEH we are equipped and have the expertise to use the most modern dental extraction techniques available.
Straight oral extraction technique:
Most teeth can be extracted understanding sedation with local nerve block through the oral cavity using elevators and forceps. This technique significantly reduces the complication rate.
Minimal invasive Transbuccal screw Extraction (MTE):
In particular cases when there is no ability anymore to grasp the tooth with forceps due to a tooth fracture the MTE technique allows the fragments to be retrieved. GVEH is one of the handful hospitals in Australia that offers this technique.
Minimal Invasive pin Repulsion (MIR):
In very particular cases, small pins may be required to expel tooth fragments, or more particularly mandibular molars.
Coronectomy and tooth sectioning:
The tooth that needs extracting may be too large to pass through the oral space. The sectioning technique allows to remove the tooth in parts with minimal extraction force.
Incisor and Canine extractions:
These are performed on the standing horse with use of sedation and local nerve blocks.
Buccotomies:
In particular cases, mostly in cases of congenitally malformed teeth, the use of surgical buccotomies by creation of a tissue and bone flap over the tooth may be necessary to remove the tooth.
All our extractions are performed under oroscopic guidance to allow for best accuracy and minimisation of complications.
GVEH is one of the few hospitals in Australia that offers the complete range of these possible extraction techniques, allowing the best tailored approach to your horse’s problem and the best outcome.
Full information on what to expect when your horse needs a dental extraction can be found by clicking the button below.
