Advanced Dressage Horse This horse was presented for examination due to a sizeable facial swelling on the left side of the maxilla (see area circled in red). The horse had developed problems whilst being ridden and was reluctant to work. A tooth root abscess of 207 or 208 was suspected. On intraoral inspection there was evidence of severe gingival erosion on the buccal aspect of 208. There was a pungent / unpleasant smell associated with this. Disease of the rostral (front) root of this tooth was confirmed radiographically. The tooth was painstaking extracted by an intraoral method under sedation and a necrotic tract ran all the way through the tooth, from crown to rostral root, which was impacted foetid food material. The horse was able to return to work three weeks after surgery.
Four-Year-Old Discharging Sinus From Lower Jaw This horse presented with a painful swelling on the lower jaw from which pus would breakout almost weekly. Such cases require aggressive, EARLY surgical intervention. The first stage was the extraction of the tooth. This went well- extreme patience is required as it is all too easy to fracture the jawbone. Following this, debridement of the sinus tract and abscess cavity under general anaesthesia was performed. Finally, the cavity was sealed with dental wax. Aftercare consisted of regular flushing of the socket and changing of the dental wax plug, in combination with antibiotic and analgesic treatment. Two months after treatment both the gum and jaw had healed completely.	Extracted lower molar (308) note the 'clubbing' of the roots. There was a large cavity in the mandible around the diseased tooth with a septic tract going through the entire jawbone. Had this been left untreated a fractured jaw could well have resulted. Oral extraction of a molar tooth is a time consuming process requiring much patience and specialised equipment.
Old Horse - Lameness This horse was examined by equine veterinary surgeons from Pool House because of a right hind lameness. During the examination it was noted that the horse was abnormally thin even for an 18-year-old. The horse’s teeth had been checked by an 'equine dentist' (not a member of BAEDT) recently and every 12 months during the horses life. On examination the second lower molar (407) was absent and the fourth molar (409) was standing 'proud'. The 409 was also displaced toward the tongue (lingually) and could be moved in its socket freely for about 4mm. A similar problem existed with the 309. Both these teeth were extracted and several sharp enamel points removed. The horse was subsequently able to eat hay again, and put weight back on.	This horse was unable to eat hay; removal of the loose and displaced teeth helped the horse to return to a normal diet.

More Case Studies - Fractured Lower Jaw
More Case Studies - Prophylactic management of a case of overjet (Parrot Mouth)
More Case Studies - Eruption cyst associated with a retained cap and cementoma.

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