Retention of dental fragments
Standard repulsion of apically infected teeth tends to drive the punch
into the diseased (less mineralised) apex and adjacent reserve crown and
can cause peripheral fragments of the reserve crown to fracture off and
remain attached to the alveolar wall (Fig 1 ). These fragments
need to be identified (including by routine post-extraction clinical and
radiographic examinations following repulsion) and removed, else they
will likely result in a non-healing alveolus. Dental fragments, except
for long mandibular roots in older horses (Fig 3 ) are less
commonly retained following other exodontia techniques