Dental Reconstructive Techniques – Are We Getting Any Better?

Dentistry has been defined as ‘the treatment of diseases and other conditions that affect the teeth and gums, especially the repair and extraction of teeth and the insertion of artificial ones’ [1]. The repair of teeth by restorative methods is commonly practiced in human and canine dentistry but has been slow to develop in equine dentistry. Equine teeth have been shown to develop cavities and food impaction within these cavities has been shown to produce caries from fermentation of trapped carbohydrates and subsequent acid production [2-5].

Cavities of equine teeth that are large enough to trap enough food material in quantities resulting in significant caries resulting in potential structural loss, apical infection, weakening or fracture are limited to

• Incisor enamel dysplasia
• Incisor infundibular cemental hypoplasia (IH)
• Cheek tooth (maxillary) IH
• Non-vital pulp canals with apical closure (pulp restorations)

Restoration of equine teeth may also be considered in cases of partial crown fracture or excessive abrasive wear, e.g. incisor wear from starvation pastures, and incisor enamel dysplasia with secondary caries however there is little evidence to support the benefit of restorative procedures in these cases. [...]