Is tooth extraction a complicated procedure?
Yes and no. Young and middle aged horses most likely will require general anesthesia and surgery to remove a tooth due to its length and the increased risks of tooth or mandibular fracture. There also is generally a period of aftercare following dental extraction in these animals that requires a hospital setting. In older animals (20 years +) the teeth are fairly short, extraction is relatively uncomplicated in most cases and can be performed in the field with moderate sedation and local anesthetics.
