Diagnosis and Management of Equine Diastemata

Diastema (plural, diastemata; Greek: “an interval”) is the presence of a detectable interdental space between adjacent incisor or cheek teeth. Diastema of the cheek teeth (CT) is a major differential diagnosis for quidding in horses, particularly in those with no obvious dental overgrowths on oral examination. Equine CT diastemata is a difficult and frustrating condition to treat and is currently underdiagnosed in equine practice due, in part, to the difficulty of reliable clinical examination of the erupted crowns, especially of the caudal cheek teeth. Diastema of the incisors is less common and also causes less severe clinical signs when present. In this article, we describe the etiology, pathogenesis, clinical signs, diagnosis, and current treatment options for this condition.