EXTRACTION OF TEETH 



molars. The slant of the teeth is most marked at the ends 

 of each arcade while at the middle they acquire an almost 

 perpendicular position. 



In drawing the last molar the back of the forceps will 

 generally strike against the opposite dental arcade before 

 the tooth has completely emerged from its alveolus and in 

 order to complete its removal it may be necessary to take 

 a deeper hold with the extracting forceps or withdrawing 

 these, complete the operation with the hand. In young 

 horses where the teeth are very long, we have found it im- 

 possible to complete the extraction until the tooth has been 

 divided transversely by means of the tooth cutting forceps. 



The dangers in the extraction of teeth are chiefly : 



1. The transverse fracture of the tooth, leaving the fang 

 still fixed in the alveolus, a danger not infrequently un- 

 avoidable when the crown has become greatly weakened by 

 disease so that it lacks the necessary power of resistance • 

 under most other conditions transverse fracture may be 

 largely guarded against by the careful securing of the 

 patient in a manner to effectively prevent sudden throwing 

 of the head while the forceps are applied, and by using good 

 judgment in the amount of force exerted while loosening 

 the tooth in its alveolus. As stated above, one should not 

 expect to be able to extract with forceps the teeth of very 

 young horses which have not become partly detached by 

 disease or in which the fangs are the seat of odontomes. 



2. Fracture of the alveolar walls is an accident which 

 may generally be prevented by proper care in the applica- 

 tion of force and the avoidance of any attempt to extract a 

 tooth when the existence of an enlargement of the fang is 

 apparent or suspected. 



3. The tooth may slip from the forceps into the pharynx 

 and be swallowed, an accident avoidable by proper securing 

 of the patient and by inserting the hand into the mouth as 

 the tooth begins to emerge from its alveolus, and if need 

 be, by grasping it with the fingers. 



