Nodin - Incisor Wiring

Nodin came into Burwash on emergency - he was found in the pasture with a droopy lip and blood coming from his mouth. X-rays showed a fracture of the lower jaw, with three incisors involved. With this type of fracture, we can stabilize the jaw by placing wires around the teeth. Surgery was scheduled for the following morning.

Nodin was placed under a short intravenous anesthesia in the recovery stall. The fractured piece of bone was cleaned, debrided, and reduced back into its proper place, and wires were placed. The Obwegeser wiring technique used can be seen in the textbook image to the right.

The stable wire fixation allowed Nodin to be able to eat normally as the fracture healed. In the next photo, you can see the wires in place, with glue covering the twisted wire ends to protect his gums.

The wires were removed after 3 months, and Nodin’s smile is in place. It is possible that one or more of the incisors will need to be extracted eventually; we will continue to monitor the health of these teeth over the next 6-12 months.