Dental disease of sheep

Abstract

Extract

Dental abnormalities of sheep are common and in many parts of the world are the main reason for culling otherwise-healthy breeding ewes before the end of their natural reproductive life, leading to increased flock replacement costs. Excessive incisor-tooth wear and periodontal disease are considered the two most important syndromes affecting sheep's teeth and their supporting structures; less commonly, problems of occlusion or bite, defective enamel formation, caries, fluorosis, and odontogenic cysts also occur (West and Spence 2000).