Mandible fractures: introduction and etiology

Mandibular fractures are the most common head fractures in the horse. The rostral parts of the mandible are more prone to fracture than the caudal parts.
In this module, we describe the fractures in the following areas:

I. Fractures of the rostral part of the mandible
II. Fractures of the interdental space and horizontal ramus
III. Fracture of the vertical ramus

These fractures can either be unilateral or bilateral.
Like other head fractures, fractures of the jaws are commonly caused by blunt trauma such as a kick from another horse, a fall or collision with a solid object.
Incisive bone and mandibular fractures are often open toward the oral cavity because the fracture fragments are typically sharp and there is very little soft tissue covering the bones. Therefore, many of these fracture sites are contaminated and infection is a common sequel.