Problems of Incisor Teeth
Problems involving the incisor teeth usually become an issue because they can prevent the normal sideways movement of the lower jaw causing problems to occur in the cheek teeth and, therefore, reduced ability to grind food effectively.
Problems that can occur include teeth becoming excessively long, fractured teeth, missing teeth and abnormal wear (e.g. crib biters).
Missing teeth
If one of the incisors is missing, may be congenital or caused by trauma, the opposite tooth will then have nothing to wear against and will grow too long, causing restriction in the sideways movement of the jaw. In these cases the incisors must be maintained regularly to prevent more serious problems developing in the cheek teeth.
Fractured or Loose Teeth
Loose teeth should be left in place if it is felt there is any chance of it healing, however, in some cases incisors must be removed especially if they become infected, common in cases where the tooth has fractured.
Alignment problems (Parrot Mouth and Sow Mouth)
Parrot mouth, overbite, and sow mouth, undershot, jaws don't usually cause a problem themselves as horses are still able to pick up grass and feed adequately. It is, however, commonly seen that the cheek teeth don’t meet correctly either, which can cause hooks and ramps etc to occur (see section of molar problems). Foals with severe parrot mouths can be treated by wiring the upper jaw to prevent excessive forward growth.