Equine dental disease – no longer a neglected field of study
Authors: P. M. Dixon
Journal: Equine Veterinary Education
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Equine Dental Disease – No Longer a Neglected Field of Study Equine dentistry has experienced a remarkable historical trajectory, from a thriving speciality in the early 1900s when horses dominated transport and agriculture, through a prolonged period of scientific stagnation during the mid-twentieth century, to its recent resurgence as a serious research discipline. Dixon's review traces how the decline in working horse populations following mechanisation led to minimal dental research between the 1940s and 1980s, leaving practitioners with largely clinical experience and little scientific evidence—a situation that contrasted sharply with major advances in equine orthopaedics, respiratory and reproductive medicine during the same period. A landmark 1993 editorial in *Equine Veterinary Education* identifying equine dentistry as "a neglected field of study" catalysed renewed scientific interest, triggering hundreds of peer-reviewed papers and dedicated textbooks from leading researchers across Europe and North America. Since that turning point, clinicians now have access to robust pathological studies, evidence-based diagnostic approaches, and refined surgical techniques that were simply unavailable just three decades ago. For contemporary equine professionals, this renaissance underscores the importance of engaging with current dental literature to move beyond traditional practices and adopt evidence-based protocols—particularly in areas where older therapeutic approaches (such as routine incisor reduction) lack scientific justification and may cause harm.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Equine dental disease was historically underdiagnosed and undertreated due to limited veterinary training; modern practitioners should recognize that contemporary equine dentistry is now evidence-based with substantial scientific support.
- •The resurgence in equine dentistry research since 1993 has provided practitioners with validated diagnostic and treatment protocols that supersede historical practices, such as unjustified incisor reductions.
- •Regular dental examination and professional care are now recognized as essential preventive health measures for working and sport horses, supporting the case for routine dental assessment in equine practice.
Key Findings
- •Equine dentistry was a well-developed field in the late 1800s and early 1900s but declined significantly through the mid-1900s due to reduced horse populations following mechanization.
- •Scientific interest in equine dentistry remained minimal from the 1940s-1980s with only a handful of research authors contributing to the field.
- •A 1993 special edition of Equine Veterinary Education recognizing equine dentistry as 'a neglected field of study' catalyzed a major revival in scientific equine dental research.
- •Since 1993, hundreds of equine dental papers and textbooks have been published, establishing equine dentistry as an active and growing field of scientific inquiry.