location440 Nicholson Rd, Forrestdale WA 6112

Advanced Dental Procedures

Advanced Care When Your Horse Needs It Most

Advanced Care When Your Horse Needs It Most

When issues arise, our vet team is equipped to perform complex restorative and surgical procedures, including endodontics, restorations, extractions, and advanced periodontal therapy.

Using state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging, years of clinical experience and evidence-based medicine, we aim to save every tooth possible. We’re experts in equine veterinary dentistry, which is why vets across Western Australia refer their complex dental patients to us.

Understanding Our Advanced Treatments

Understanding Our Advanced Treatments

Equine dental medicine is advancing rapidly, and at Dental Vet, we’re proud to offer gold-standard treatments informed by the latest scientific research. We’re here to save teeth and improve the long-term health of your horse.

Here’s a quick guide to understanding advanced equine dental procedures:

Advanced periodontal disease treatment:
Periodontal disease affects the supporting structures of the tooth, including the gums, periodontal ligament, the outer layer of the tooth (cementum) and the bone. Feed can pack between teeth, rot, and cause infection, leading to pain, bone loss, bone infections, sinus infections, fistulae, endodontic infections, and tooth mobility. Treatment involves cleaning and debriding infected pockets, placing medicated materials, and, in some cases, using temporary fillings to protect healing tissue. Early intervention can save years of suffering from this painful disease.

Incisor or canine restorations (fillings):
When decay or wear has caused cavities, restorations repair the damaged area using modern dental materials. This seals the surface, restores normal function, and helps prevent further decay or fracture.

Before and after images of an incisor restoration.

Infundibular restorations:
Unique to the upper cheek teeth, infundibular restorations involve cleaning and filling deeper caries that can form within the infundibula of these teeth. Left untreated, these lesions can lead to pulp exposure and/or fractures.

Occlusal restorations:
Used in severe cases of peripheral caries, where the decay has extended onto the grinding surface of the teeth, creating deep cavities and threatening the vitality of the underlying pulp horns. The decayed dental material is gently removed, and restorations are placed to protect the underlying pulp and prevent further decay. Read more about this condition in one of our case studies.

Endodontics (root canal therapy):
Used when a tooth’s pulp becomes infected or dies, this procedure removes infected tissue, disinfects the canal, and seals it to prevent reinfection. It allows for many teeth to be saved that would otherwise require extraction.

Vital pulpotomy (Pulp Cap):
Performed when the pulp is exposed, usually due to trauma or an excessive reduction. The exposed pulp is cleaned and sealed to prevent infection and preserve tooth vitality.

Extraction:
Extractions are only performed when a tooth cannot be saved. Your horse’s comfort and safety come first, with regional nerve blocks, local anaesthetic perfusion, and systemic pain relief as standard. For longer procedures, we use intravenous fluids and constant rate sedation for steady, calm care. Following the procedure, your horse receives oral fluids and electrolytes, along with ongoing pain relief, to support full recovery at home.

Modern Care, Precise Execution

Depending on the procedure your horse is undergoing, here is a general idea of what to expect on the day of your horse’s advanced procedure.

  • Pre-procedure assessment (including diagnostics like radiographs if needed)
  • Sedation and prepared monitoring in a calm, safe environment.
  • Procedure tailored to the diagnosis, for example, pulp capping, infundibular restoration, root-canal therapy, extraction or periodontal debridement.
  • Owner briefing with visuals and discussion of the treatment performed.

Follow-up For Recovery And Long-term Success

Recovery and monitoring are key parts of every advanced case. After your horse’s procedure, we’ll provide detailed aftercare instructions, including feeding adjustments if required, rest recommendations, medications if required and oral hygiene guidance.

Most extractions require a recheck appointment at 2-3 weeks, and further follow-up every 6 months to prevent overgrowth of the opposing tooth. Most restorations don’t require follow-up beyond your regular dental maintenance, and endodontics will require some ongoing monitoring with radiographs every 1-2 years initially, which can be increased over time. We’ll also share progress reports with your referring vet to maintain continuity of care.

Equine Dentistry

Equine Dentistry

Routine dental maintenance, including comprehensive examination of all dental and oral tissues as well as a full dental chart with recommendations.

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Lifetime Dental Care

Lifetime Dental Care

Our vets will work with you and your horse on a comprehensive and tailored preventative dental care plan.

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Advanced Dental Procedures

Advanced Dental Procedures

Performing everything from endodontics, restorations, extractions and treating advanced periodontal disease.

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Equine Wellness Services

Equine Wellness Services

These include wellness consultations, vaccinations, microchipping, faecal egg counts (FEC), drenching, blood testing for metabolic disease, radiographs, euthanasia services and lameness work ups.

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In-Clinic Services

In-Clinic Services

Take advantage of the state-of-the-art facilities our clinic has to offer. We are equipped with stables and yards with post, rail and mesh fencing and reticulated paddocks for your convenience. Clients can leave their horses for dental treatments, or stay and watch.

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Mobile Services

Mobile Services

While we pride ourselves on our industry-leading clinic, we also bring premium care directly to your property when needed. Our mobile units are fully equipped to bring the same quality of care wherever you are.

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FAQs

Where in Perth is Dental Vet located?

Dental Vet is based at 440 Nicholson Road, Forrestdale WA, just south of Perth. Our purpose-built equine dental clinic provides a calm, safe space for routine and advanced dental procedures. As fully qualified veterinarians, we can also provide our patients with a range of wellness services for your convenience.

The clinic is just off Armadale Road. It’s also worth noting that there are two driveways onto the property. The first driveway when heading south down Nicholson Road, which usually has a Dental Vet sign out the front, is the driveway to access the clinic. Look for the big grey gates and push the button to open them.

Does Dental Vet offer a mobile service?

While we love welcoming clients to our state-of-the-art clinic, we also understand that sometimes on-farm consultations and treatments are preferred for your convenience.

Our fully equipped mobile service is available throughout Perth’s south-east corridor and nearby regions, including Perth, Armadale, Byford, Oakford, and Serpentine. However we can travel as far south as Harvey, east to Toodyay or north to Lower Chittering, typically anywhere around 100km of the Forrestdale clinic.

If you’re unsure whether we can visit your area, get in touch and we’ll be happy to confirm.

What does Dental Vet do?

We’re Western Australia’s only dedicated equine dental veterinary clinic, offering both comprehensive routine and advanced equine dentistry. Our services include dental examinations, floating, extractions, fillings, root canal therapy, periodontal therapy, and oral X-rays.

As part of your appointment, we offer a variety of wellness services for your convenience. Our veterinarians can perform vaccinations, microchipping, faecal egg counts (FEC), drenching, blood tests for metabolic disease, radiographs and lameness work-ups.

We also pride ourselves on providing compassionate care and thorough examinations, so we provide sedation for our patients for their comfort and to allow us to properly diagnose and treat any dental pathology present.

Who performs the dental work?

All procedures are carried out by registered veterinarians Dr Kirsten Jackson and Dr Victoria Kö-Peternelj, veterinarians with postgraduate qualifications in equine dentistry. Each has extensive training and provides clinical and educational support for referring veterinarians.

As veterinary surgeons, they can administer sedation safely, diagnose complex dental issues, carry out patient wellness assessments and perform advanced medical or surgical treatments.

Our Veterinary Nurse Kelly Dunford and Veterinary Assistant Meg Burns support every procedure, ensuring each appointment runs smoothly and that your horse remains calm and comfortable throughout.

What equine animals does Dental Vet treat?

Dental Vet provides care for all equine species including horses, ponies, donkeys and mules. Our team is experienced in managing the unique dental needs of each, ensuring every patient, from the smallest miniature to the largest draft horse, receives safe, effective and compassionate treatment.

Why is equine dental care important?

Dental problems can cause pain, weight loss and behavioural problems. Many horses hide discomfort until it becomes severe. Unfortunately by the time they present symptoms, the issue has usually escalated to severe infections and disease which can impact the lifespan of their smile and overall health. For ridden horses, placing a bit in a painful mouth can make them resist, act out, or even become dangerous. Studies show almost 60% of Western Australian horses have some form of peripheral caries, often linked to local diet and water pH 1. This highlights why regular, professional veterinary dental examinations are essential for horse health in our region.

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Whether you've got a new foal, referring a patient for review, or are worried about your horse's wellbeing, we're here to help!

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