Dentistry Articles

8/12/2019 Dentistry Articles

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Dentistry Articles

Equine Dental Glossary

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Equine Dentistry

Learn to Recognize Your Horses Dental !roble"s

#its$ #itting and Dentistry %he &"'ortance o( )aintaining the Health o( Your Horse*s )outh

+nderstanding Your Horse*s %eeth

Equine Dental ,are &s )ore %han -ust .loating Dental E/a"ination


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Equine Dental Glossary

by Mary Delorey, DVM

&ncisors 0 .ront teeth$ 1ust inside the li's$ used to gras'$ ni' and 'ull grass2and to bite you34

!re"olars 0 .irst three sets o( large chee5 teeth$ to' and botto" 1aws$ used (or grinding6 %here isa (ull deciduous set (ollowed by a (ull 'er"anent set6

)olars 0 7econd three sets o( large chee5 teeth$ to' and botto" 1aws$ used (or grinding6 %hereare no deciduous "olars$ they eru't as 'er"anent teeth6

Deciduous 0 8#aby9 teeth6 %hey are re'laced by 'er"anent teeth6

!er"anent 0 8Adult9 teeth6 %hey are intended to re"ain (or the horses li(e6

Arcade 0 Re(ers to a row o( teeth 2i6e6 there are (our arcades o( chee5 teeth and two arcades o(

incisors46

:cclusion 0 %he contact 'oints o( o''osing teeth; occlusal sur(ace re(ers to the chewing or bitingsur(aces6

)alocclusion 0 Abnor"al contact between o''osing teeth6

8&n Wear9 0 %he 'oint in ti"e when o''osing teeth have reached su((icient height above thegu"line to grind against one another6

Eru'tion 0 %he "ove"ent o( the tooth crown out (ro" the bone o( the 1aw into the "outh6

7hedding ca's 0 %he loss o( e/'ired baby teeth as the new 'er"anent teeth eru't to ta5e their'lace6

,hee5 teeth 0 A general ter" used to indicate all the grinding teeth$ the 're"olars and "olars6

,rown 0 %he 'ortion o( the tooth that gradually eru'ts into the "outh and is used (or grinding$ notthe root6

)astication 0 %he act o( chewing or grinding (ood6

,a' 0 Horse"ans ter" (or a baby tooth as it sits in 'lace on the 'er"anent tooth ready to eru't6

5eywords< dental ter"inology 6'osted< =>?>@?>@@6 Last u'dated< =>?>@?>@@


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Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About EquineDentistry

by Mary DeLorey, DVM, Kettle alls, Washington

&t is co""on these days (or horses to live into their thirties and beyond6 %heir teeth$ however$were really only develo'ed to last into their twenties under o'ti"u" conditions6 +n(ortunately$the "a1ority o( our do"estic horses do not live under those o'ti"u" natural conditions in whichthey evolved6 Everything we$ as equine veterinarians$ can do to 'revent the 're"ature attrition o(the horse*s teeth will stand the" in better stead to live better$ longer lives6

.or instance$ "ost "a1or "alocclusions start as s"all discre'ancies when the horse is young$o(ten when the 'er"anent teeth are 1ust eru'ting between the ages o( > =?>; and years o( age67"all 'roble"s recognized and corrected at this age never turn into the large 'roble"s wecurrently see in the older horse 'o'ulation6 A veterinarian well0trained in equine dentistry has the

s5ills to 'revent "ost$ i( not all$ "a1or dental 'roble"s that have 'reviously been acce'ted as aninevitable 'art o( equine aging6 Did you 5now that all horses should receive a co"'rehensivedental e/a"ination be(ore the age o( > =?>; and at least yearly therea(terB Did you 5now that bythe ti"e "ost owners recognize that their horse is having di((iculty eating or weight loss isa''arent$ that horse*s dental condition is li5ely to be severely abnor"alB Did you 5now that"any 'arrot0"outhed 2over bite4 or sow0"outhed 2under bite4 (oals can have near0nor"al biteswithout surgery or orthodontics i( the condition is recognized earlyB Did you 5now that'eriodontal disease is the nu"ber one cause o( tooth loss in the horseB Did you 5now a quali(iedveterinarian can diagnose$ treat and0 in "any cases0 !"EVE#$'eriodontal diseaseB

&t "a5es little di((erence i( you are new to horse ownershi' or a seasoned 'ro(essional6 ,hancesare$ you "ay not be inti"ately (a"iliar with the e/'anding (ield o( equine dentistry6 Horseowners o( various e/'erience levels have "any questions about 'ro'er dental care (or their

equine charges6 C)y horse is only years old6 He doesn*t need his teeth loo5ed at66666 does heBCCHow o(ten should "y brood"ares be e/a"inedBC What about "y daughter*s 0H "ountBC C)ydressage horse is suddenly hanging on his right rein$ but "y vet 1ust (loated his teeth si/ "onthsago6 What*s wrongBC C)y >0year0old A''y is having trouble eating6 7he slobbers and dro'swads o( hay6 ,ould it be her teethBC

%he answers to the above questions will vary with each individual horse and each individualcircu"stance6 %here are$ however$ so"e general tendencies based on a horse*s age$ gender$career$ overall health and dental health that 'rovide guidelines (ro" which to "a5ereco""endations6

.irst though$ a basic understanding o( how a horse chews and so"e rudi"entary 5nowledge o(the anato"y is necessary to co"'rehend the need (or thorough dental care on a routine basis6

%he "ost basic di((erences between a horse*s teeth 2an herbivore or 'lant eater4 and the teeth o(hu"ans or dogs or cats 2o"nivores and carnivores4 is that a horse*s teeth are not co"'letelycovered in ena"el$ and what is visible in the "outh is not "eant to last the horse*s entire li(e6:"nivores 2creatures that eat all ty'es o( (ood (ro" vegetables to "eat4 and carnivores2'redo"inantly "eat eaters4 have teeth that are co"'letely covered in hard ena"el$ which allowstheir teeth to withstand the (orces necessary to chew their diet without wearing away the toothsur(ace6 Horse*s teeth are "ade u' o( vertical Ccolu"nsC o( three di((erent "aterials$ only one o(which is ena"el6 %he other two "aterials$ dentin and ce"entu"$ are not as hard6 %hiscon(iguration is actually designed to allow the horse*s teeth to slowly wear away as they grindtheir coarse diet o( 'lant roughage6 &t*s o5ay that their teeth slowly wear away since as a given


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% ig& )(

A "ature horse has (ro" to teeth6 .ront to bac5$ he has si/ u''er and si/ lower incisors2(ront teeth$ the ones you can see readily when you 'art his li's4 used (or ni''ing and tearing

(orage6 Geldings and stallions usually have (our canine teeth 2two u''er and two lower; these arethe teeth that you can see in the bars o( the "outh64 )ost horses will have two wol( teeth asyoungsters 2s"all$ shallow rooted teeth located 1ust in (ront o( the (irst chee5 tooth on the u''er

1aw$ occasionally also a''earing on the lower 1aw4$ which are ty'ically re"oved at about a year o(age6 %hen there are => 're"olars and => "olars co"'rising the chee5 teeth$ the bul5 o( thegrinding a''aratus6 %hese are arranged si/ chee5 teeth to an arcade or row o( teeth 2two u''erand two lower arcades46 %he chee5 teeth are 'ac5ed so closely together that they a''ear as onelong chewing sur(ace6 All together$ the horse*s "outh is 2or should be4 a highly s'ecialized and(inely tuned grinding "achine$ uniquely and 'er(ectly suited (or its intended 'ur'ose6

%he bio"echanics o( "astication 'lays a "a1or role in how a horse wears his teeth6 %here aretwo or three i"'ortant conce'ts here6 :ne is that the horse*s lower 1aw is narrower than hisu''er 1aw6 %his "eans that the two u''er arcades overhang the two lower arcades by =? to =?>

inch6 %he teeth in the two lower arcades also sit slightly to the inside o( the u''er arcades6


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%ig& *(

%he second conce't is that a horse "oves his 1aw in a roughly elli'tical 'attern when he chews6He dro's the lower 1aw down$ "oves it over to the right or le(t$ brings it u' into contact with theu''er teeth on that side$ then "oves the lower 1aw bac5 toward center$ grinding the lower teethacross the chewing sur(ace o( the u''er teeth on that side6 Due to the above outlined anato"y$ it

is 'ossible (or the horse to chew on only one side at a ti"e6 %he third conce't is that eachindividual horse*s 're(erences$ habits$ genetics$ con(or"ation$ diet and dental health deter"inewhether or not he will wear both sides evenly or even i( each tooth in each arcade wears evenlywith its neighbors6

7ince "ost do"estic horses are not bred (or 'ro'er dental con(or"ation$ are not housed in sucha way that allows the" to browse on varied (orage (or at least = hours 'er day$ are e/'ected tobegin wor5 very early in li(e$ and are e/'ected to re"ain active very late in li(e$ it "a5es sensethat we$ as their careta5ers$ should conscientiously address their dental health6

When does dental care (irst need to be addressedB %hat one has an easy answer< at birth3 Atleast a cursory visual and digital ins'ection o( the (oal*s "outh should be 'er(or"ed by yourveterinarian during the Cwell0babyC e/a"ination the day o( or the day a(ter birth6 &n addition to the

rest o( the 'hysical e/a"ination$ your veterinarian will chec5 to "a5e sure that the (oal does nothave a severe over0 or under0bite that could "a5e nursing di((icult and 'redis'ose to other dentalabnor"alities as the (oal "atures6 &t*s also i"'ortant to "a5e sure that the (oal*s 'alate is nor"also that it can swallow without di((iculty6 &n the (irst two weeks o( li(e$ your (oal will eru't =deciduous 2baby4 teeth3

A (oal*s deciduous 're"olars 2see glossary4 are all in use within the (irst (ew wee5s o( li(e andcan soon start to wear abnor"ally i( they do not "eet u' 'ro'erly6 &( there*s an overbite$ (ore/a"'le$ not only are the incisors "isaligned$ o(ten the baby*s 're"olars don*t "atch u' eithersince the entire lower 1aw is too short6 %he 'ortion o( the tooth that overhangs will not have atooth sur(ace to grind against as the rest o( the tooth wears6 %he hoo50sha'ed overgrowths thatresult can 'revent the lower 1aw (ro" growing to the length o( the u''er 1aw6 While there areorthodontic devices and surgical re"edies to correct truly severe over0 and under0bites$ they are

e/'ensive$ di((icult to "aintain and have variable rates o( success6 Whenever a''ro'riate$ it is(ar easier to let )other Fature do the best 1ob she can by 'eriodically re"oving the hoo5s$ ra"'s$ridges$ etc6 that inhibit nor"al 1aw growth6 &n "any cases$ this is all that is necessary to correct a"ild to "oderate over0 or under bite6

During the (irst year o( li(e$ in addition to => deciduous 're"olars$ the youngster also eru'ts two"ore sets o( deciduous incisors$ (or a total o( =>6 All > baby teeth are in 'lace by the age o(about nine "onths6 At this age$ "ost horses will also eru't two wol( teeth and the (irst'er"anent "olar set eru'ts behind the baby 're"olars6 #y the ti"e the (oal is a yearling$ he haseru'ted > to @ teeth3 &( there have been no 'roble"s detected 'reviously$ it is stronglyreco""ended that a s5illed veterinary 'ro(essional 'er(or" a co"'lete dental e/a" on everyhorse no later than =>0= "onths o( age6 At this age$ all o( the deciduous teeth have been CinwearC long enough that their edges are li5ely very shar' 2re"e"ber how the chewing 'attern

wears the teeth46 )any owners do not realize that even very young horses need co"'rehensivedental attention6 Deciduous teeth are so(ter than 'er"anent teeth and wear shar' edges "uch(aster6 &t is not unco""on (or yearlings to have ulcers or lacerations on their chee5s and tongues(ro" these razor shar' 'oints6 %he wol( teeth$ which beco"e shar' and can cause 'ain when thehorse is bitted$ are best re"oved as a yearling6 %his is a good ti"e to "a5e the young horseco"(ortable and ensure that the stage is set (or the ne/t 'hase o( dental develo'"ent6

Your horse*s "outh undergoes the largest turnover o( deciduous to 'er"anent teeth between theages o( > and =?> years6 He will lose two sets o( deciduous incisors and shed two sets o('re"olars$ all to be re'laced by 'er"anent teeth6 He will have already eru'ted his second set o(


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'er"anent "olars$ and the third set "ay be getting ready to eru't by =?> years o( age6 %hat*su' to > 'er"anent teeth in = =?> years3 &( certain baby teeth wait too long to (all out$ they areter"ed Cretained6C %he longer the baby teeth ta5e to Cshed$C the longer it ta5es (or the 'er"anentones to re'lace the" and beco"e use(ul (or "astication6 While it is detri"ental to re"ovedeciduous teeth be(ore the 'er"anent ones are ready to "ove into 'lace$ it is also 'otentiallytroubleso"e to leave old baby teeth in 'lace too long6 &( 'airs o( deciduous teeth shedasynchronously$ the corres'onding 'er"anent teeth eru't asynchronously also6 %his situation isundesirable since it sets u' uneven chewing sur(aces in the "outh that the horse will havedi((iculty overco"ing on his own6 &ncisors can also be a((ected by i"balances caused by 'airs o(teeth that eru't too early or too late6 %here(ore$ the attention o( a s5illed veterinary 'ro(essionalcan be very i"'ortant in 'ro"'tly correcting i"balances and 're'aring the "outh (or nor"al adultdevelo'"ent6

#y the age o( =?> to years o( age$ a young horse should have shed or be very close toshedding the last deciduous teeth$ and all 'er"anent teeth should be eru'ted6 &t*s very 'ossiblethat a horse "ay have retained a set o( baby incisors or even a set o( baby 're"olars at thisage6 %hese should "ost li5ely be re"oved6 #rand new 'er"anent teeth get very shar' veryquic5ly as the horse begins to use the" in earnest$ and should be s"oothed6 Geldings andstallions "ay have (our canine teeth that are brea5ing through the gu" line at the age o( years6 %hese are the teeth easily visible in the s'ace between the incisors and the chee5 teeth67o"e horses e/'erience disco"(ort associated with the eru'tion o( these teeth$ which "aye/'lain (ussy behavior that a''ears suddenly during this ti"e6 %his is the ti"e to "a5e any s"allad1ust"ents to 5ee' the "outh in balance as the last 'er"anent teeth co"e into wear6

A note on canine teeth

#y years o( age$ the only teeth not (ully eru'ted "ay be the canines in geldings and stallions6As these teeth reach signi(icant size$ they can beco"e li5e s"all daggers 'rotruding (ro" thegu"s6 While they do not inter(ere directly with the bit or any chewing sur(aces$ their shar' edgescan be quite 'ain(ul as they contact the tongue and li's during eating and bitting6 &t is co""on'ractice to reduce the height o( these teeth and round the to's so that they are non0irritating6%hey serve no use(ul 'ur'ose in do"estic horses$ so shortening the" is not detri"ental6 Also

note that occasionally$ a "are will have canine teeth6 %hey are usually "uch s"aller than their"ale counter'arts*$ but they should be addressed si"ilarly6

:nce your horse has reached the age o( years$ all his 'er"anent teeth are in 'osition and inuse6 &( your horse has had 'eriodic$ co"'rehensive dental care u' to this ti"e and has no severe"alocclusions or dental disease$ he*s well0'oised (or li(elong dental health6 He should receive"aintenance care$ including s"oothing o( shar' edges$ "inor rebalancing and troubleshootingevery 0=> "onths6 Horses that are in de"anding co"'etition$ have heightened sensitivity or're0e/isting dental abnor"alities "ay need routine attention "ore (requently$ 'erha's every si/"onths$ to "aintain dental health and co"(ort6 Each horse is an individual with unique needs6 Aveterinarian s5illed in equine dentistry can wor5 with you to deter"ine a schedule "osta''ro'riate (or your horse6

Horses over the age o( = to = that have had regular$ s5illed dental "aintenance "ay requirelittle "ore than a younger horse with si"ilar care6 &n general$ however$ there are so"e thingsthat need 'eriodic "onitoring6 &n the older horse$ the crown that has been slowly eru'ting out o(the 1aw over his entire li(e is running out6 %his 'rogression brings with it the tendency toward'eriodontal 2gu"4 disease$ the increased 'ossibility o( (ractured teeth$ diseased roots and looseteeth6 %here are "any di((erent ways to a''roach these 'roble"s$ and "ore wor5 is being doneto understand the best "anage"ent o'tions6 :(ten$ early 'eriodontal disease can besuccess(ully treated with (ocused cleaning and local use o( s'ecial antibiotics and 'rotective"aterials6 Loose teeth recognized early can be shortened and rested so that the o''osing toothis not continuously grinding against it6 7o"e o( these "ay reestablish their (ir" connections6


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:ther loose$ da"aged or diseased teeth are best re"oved6 #ut$ then regular "aintenance is stilli"'ortant since the surrounding teeth "ay "igrate into the s'ace created by tooth e/traction6

Again$ a horse that has had regular$ s5illed dental care during his youth and "iddle age is "uchless li5ely to develo' signi(icant 'roble"s in his golden years6

!erha's the "ost co"'elling argu"ent (or the value o( co"'rehensive equine dental care is the

co"(ort (actor6 Equine veterinarians s5illed in dentistry are constantly a"azed at how "uchdisco"(ort horses will endure without any overt signals to their owners6 Horses are eatingC"achines6C %hey are designed to eat at least = hours a day6 %his is a survival instinct dee'lyingrained in their very cells6 )ost horses will continue to eat and will ada't to the di((iculty or thedisco"(ort until the 'ain is so severe or until "echanical (orces "a5e it 'hysically i"'ossible todo so6 &t is not unco""on (or otherwise very conscientious owners to be sur'rised$ a''alled andthen e"barrassed that their equine (riend has endured such 'ain or di((iculty (or so long withoutco"'laint6 #y the ti"e the average owner notices a C'roble"$C the abnor"alities inside the"outh are li5ely to be severe6

:ne o( the "ost i"'ortant conce'ts that horse owners can e"brace (ro" all this is thatpreventionis the absolute 5ey to good equine dental health6 %he idea that a horse doesn*t needdental attention until he is in his or her "iddle age "ust disa''ear6 %he tendency to abnor"ally

wear the teeth is usually 'resent very early in li(e6 )inor abnor"alities detected at the age o( = to years can usually be easily corrected and need never beco"e an issue6 &( the sa"e 'roble"sare le(t undiagnosed until that horse is older$ "uch "ore aggressive techniques are required tocorrect the situation6 &n certain circu"stances$ the 'roble" "ay beco"e so severe that it is notcorrectable at all6 Even in such severe cases$ there is "uch the veterinarian$ e/'erienced inequine dentistry$ can do to "a5e that horse co"(ortable and as healthy as 'ossible6

What i( you*ve 1ust 'urchased a 0year0old dressage 'ros'ect$ a =@0year0old barrel horse or a =0year0old 'ony hunter and you don*t 5now what level o( dental attention this new horse hasreceived throughout his li(eB %he sooner you arrange (or a veterinary 'ro(essional s5illed inequine dentistry to 'er(or" a co"'rehensive e/a"ination$ the better6 )any$ "any horses havenever had their teeth e/a"ined at all by the age o( or =@$ or even =3 -ust because the horsehas been C(loatedC be(ore does not necessarily "ean that he has ever had a co"'rehensive

e/a" and equilibration6 %here is an entire 1ungle o( abnor"alities that can develo' even by theage o( or that C(loatingC will not address6 CWaves$C Cste'sC and Cra"'sC develo' when so"eo( the teeth in an arcade re"ain too tall and cause the o''osing teeth to beco"e over0worn$giving a roller coaster a''earance to the line o( teeth as you sight (ro" (ront to bac56 CHoo5sC onthe u''er (irst chee5 tooth or lower last chee5 tooth can overhang the o''osing tooth and i"'ede

1aw "ove"ent or can even dig into the o''osing gu"s6


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2+ig (

&ncisors can develo' abnor"alities o( wear and "eet at a diagonal or curve instead o( a straightline$ "a5ing balanced (unction o( the 1aws i"'ossible6

Digital incisor bite with o++set -aw

!eriodontal disease is co""on in "iddle0aged horses that have not received regularco"'rehensive dental care6 :( course$ the longer these ty'es o( abnor"alities go unaddressed$the "ore severe and the "ore di((icult to correct they beco"e6 A veterinary 'ro(essionale/'erienced in equine dentistry is also acutely aware o( the i"'ortance o( "ore subtle issues6%here are integral conce'ts such as incisor length and angle$ interocclusal s'ace$ occlusalangles$ lateral e/cursion and quality and degree o( 're"olar and "olar contact that should beaddressed in each and every horse6

%he recent advances in veterinary dental health care are i"'ressive$ and "ore research isunderway in veterinary schools and clinics6 Horses and their owners are bene(iting (ro" thiswealth o( 5nowledge so that horses are living longer and "ore active lives6 &t is no longerunco""on (or horses to live into their late thirties6 &( we want our equine 'artners to re"ainhealthy and ha''y$ it is i"'ortant that we do everything we can to ensure that they are able to eat2and wor54 co"(ortably and e((ectively6 A s5illed veterinarian can 'revent "ost abnor"alities(ro" ever beco"ing a 'roble"$ thereby "a/i"izing the use(ul li(e o( each tooth in your horse*shead6 )odern equine dentistry co"bines thorough 5nowledge o( anato"y and bio"echanics$current research and clinical (indings with the "ost advanced equi'"ent and the sa(est drugs too'ti"ize your horse*s dental health (or a li(eti"e6 ,o"'rehensive dental care delivered regularlyby an e/'erienced veterinary 'ro(essional "ay be one o( the "ost bene(icial health care servicesyou can 'rovide your horse6

'osted by rose5eywords< Equine Dentistry 6'osted< =??>@@6 Last u'dated< =??>@@


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Learn to "ecogni.e Your /orse0s Dental !roble1s

by Written by the AAE!

Horses with dental 'roble"s "ay show obvious signs$ such as 'ain or irritation$ or they

"ay show no noticeable signs at all6 %his is because so"e horses si"'ly ada't to theirdisco"(ort6 .or this reason$ 'eriodic dental e/a"inations are essential to your horses health6

&t is i"'ortant to catch dental 'roble"s early6 &( a horse starts behaving abnor"ally$ dental'roble"s should be considered as a 'otential cause6 Waiting too long "ay increase the di((icultyo( re"edying certain conditions or "ay even "a5e re"edy i"'ossible6 Loo5 (or the (ollowingindicators o( dental 'roble"s (ro" the A"erican Association o( Equine !ractitioners 2AAE!4 to5now when to see5 veterinary attention (or your horse6 Loss o( body condition6

6 Large or undigested (eed 'articles 2long ste"s or whole grain4 in "anure6

6 Head tilting or tossing$ bit chewing$ tongue lolling$ (ighting the bit$ or resisting bridling6

6 !oor 'er(or"ance$ such as lugging on the bridle$ (ailing to turn or sto'$ even buc5ing6

6 .oul odor (ro" "outh or nostrils$ or traces o( blood (ro" the "outh6

I6 Fasal discharge or swelling o( the (ace$ 1aw or "outh tissues6

:ral e/a"s should be an essential 'art o( an annual 'hysical e/a"ination by a veterinarian6Every dental e/a" 'rovides the o''ortunity to 'er(or" routine 'reventative dental "aintenance6)ature horses should get a thorough dental e/a" at least once a year$ and horses > J years oldshould be e/a"ined twice yearly6

.or "ore in(or"ation about 'ro'er dental care$ as5 your equine veterinarian (or 8Dental ,are?=?>@@6 Last u'dated< =>?=?>@@


11/24

2its, 2itting and Dentistry

by "&D& 3coggins, DVM

%he "outh o( the horse is the 'rinci'le "eans o( co""unication between the horse and

rider or driver6 :bviously$ other aids are used as well$ but (or "any$ the bit is what deter"inesdirection$ rate o( s'eed and 'osition or (ra"e in which the horse "oves6 Horses are the onlydo"estic ani"als that have their "ouths used in this (ashion6

%he design and (unction o( the horses "outh is such that it 'rovides a 'er(ect vehicle (or use asa 8steering device69 %he interdental s'ace allows a bit to lie co"(ortably without inter(ering withthe nor"al 'osition o( the 1aws when they close6 %he tongue$ in "ost instances$ is less "obilethan in cats$ dogs$ cattle$ shee' or goats6 %he horse does not have a need to chew its cud2ru"inate4 as do ru"inant ani"als$ and it does not nor"ally la' water or lic5 ob1ects as "uch asa dog or cat6

&nterestingly$ being in control is 'ri"arily a hu"an conce't6 Hu"ans see5 'raise$ recognition andcontrol6 Horses see5 'eace and quiet6 %hey are not interested in being in control$ nor in being

controlled6 #y allowing the"selves to be controlled$ they e/'ress their attitude and willingness tosub"it to do"estication6 ,o"'are the average do"estic horse with what is 5nown aboutatte"'ts to train truly wild s'ecies li5e zebras or !rezewals5i horses6 #oth are nearly untrainableunless they are weaned by day three and hand raised by 5nowledgeable 'eo'le6

,ontrol o( the horses head was recognized (ro" the beginning o( ti"e as a necessary "eans tocontrol the whole horse6 #its were develo'ed several thousand years ago and have seen littlechange since with so"e re(ine"ents in "anu(acturing$ but the "echanical 'rinci'les havere"ained the sa"e6 A 'iece o( "edal is held in 'lace in the interdental s'ace so as to lie acrossthe tongue and the bars o( the "outh6 Reins are attached and the horse learns direction and theacce'table res'onse< go right; go le(t; sto'; bac5 u'6 Each generation o( hu"ans "ust learn howto co""unicate these directions to the horse$ as each generation o( horses "ust learn how tores'ond6

%eaching a horse to correctly wear and res'ond to the bit is a contact s'ort$ li5e dancing orwrestling6 %o a''reciate all the variations$ it is necessary to D: &%6

,orrectly bitting a horse has very little to do with "echanics6 &t has everything to do with (eel$ti"ing and balance6 &t is "uch "ore an art (or" than a science6 &n the hands o( so"e individuals$a co"'le/ high0'ort0curb bit is an instru"ent o( co""unication with all o( the delicacy o( 'layinga violin6 &n another 'ersons hands$ a thic5 hollow0"outhed sna((le "ay be as dangerous as asurgical scal'el in the hands o( a "on5ey6

%he (irst consideration in 'lacing a bit in a horses "outh is to be sure there are no abnor"alitieswithin the "outh that "ay cause disco"(ort6 :ld in1uries such as scars$ shar' or abnor"allylocated teeth$ "issha'en 1aws or 'revious tongue in1uries should all be noted and the necessarycorrections "ade6 )any trainers are having their veterinarian do a 8'er(or"ance (loat9 o( theirhorses teeth be(ore introducing the horse to the bit6 %hey re"ove all shar' edges 'lus roundingthe (ront corners o( the (irst chee5 teeth$ both u''er and lower6 %his allows "ore roo" (or "outhtissues and reduces disco"(ort when the reins are tightened and bit 'ressure increased6 Wol(teeth and "ature ca's are also re"oved as needed6 !ro'erly 'er(or"ed dental wor5 is o(tencredited with 'utting 8'ower steering9 on a horse that 'reviously had di((iculty wearing oracce'ting the bit6


12/24

%he structure and available s'ace (or carrying the bit varies with each horse6 %he older the horsebeco"es$ the "ore roo" is 'resent6 %his is 'artly the reason the bitting 'rocess is o(ten doneste'0wise$ introducing "ore co"'licated "outh'ieces as the horse ages and increases in level o(training6 -unior western horses are o(ten shown in sna((le bits or hac5a"ores through their (ourthor (i(th year o( age6 #y this ti"e$ all o( their 'er"anent teeth are 'resent and in wear so; at least$dental changes are "ini"al (ro" then on6

7ize and sha'e o( the bit is i"'ortant6 )ost "outh'ieces should (it (ro" side to side as to allowone0hal( inch o( s'ace between the li' and ring or shan56 %oo narrow$ and it 'inches; to wide$ andthe bit tilts$ roc5s and "oves around too "uch in the horses "outh6 E/cess width also 'reventsthe bit (ro" staying centered$ thus increasing its annoyance and reducing its e((ectiveness6

A nu"ber o( a''roaches are used to teach a horse to res'ond to the bit6 7o"e rely on (orce and"a5ing the horse do it6 :thers de'end on teaching a horse to give to 'ressure6 %he horse learnsnot to 'ull on the riders hands6 %his usually begins with teaching the horse to release laterally bybending its nec5 and rela/ing its 1aw6 %his eventually trans(ers to (le/ing vertically$ which is "oredi((icult (or the horse6 E/ercises$ such as teaching the horse to bend laterally both ways until itcan touch its "uzzle to the riders (oot on both sides$ increases lateral (le/ibility6 ertically (le/ingwith its head at various heights hel's to teach res'onse balance6 Learning to (ollow the (eel o(

'ressure and lowering its head all the way to the ground$ are s5ills that can be used to increase ahorses su''leness and increase its so(tness and res'onsiveness6 &t beco"es a challenge and aga"e to see how so(t and su''le the horse can beco"e6

&n the beginning$ bitting can start with the horse standing$ then at a wal5$ then at a trot$ thencanter6 As with everything in training$ it is 'rogressive and the better it is learned at the slowergait$ the easier it will beco"e6 As the s'eed increases$ so does the di((iculty6 )ost 'eo'le (ind awor5ing trot is an e((ective gait to begin teaching a horse to yield and (le/6 arious 'atterns$calisthenics and e/ercises can be used to teach a horse to res'ond to the bit over ti"e6 Eachhorse is an individual and will have individual traits and quir5s that will 'resent the"selves as achallenge to the rider6

&t is i"'ortant that the horse res'ects the bit but never beco"e a(raid o( it6 Either lac5 o( res'ect

or (ear will cause the horse to beco"e sti(( and brace against the bit6 %his can result in hollowingo( the bac5$ sti((ness in "ove"ent$ running away$ rearing or buc5ing6 7o(tness$ on the horses'art$ and res'ect(ul obedience$ are what is desired6

#its co"e in two di((erent (or"s with in(inite variations to each6 7na((le bits are considered to bedirect 'ull bits where the rein 'ull is equal to the 'ressure in the horses "outh6 Generally$ sna((lebits are considered to be relatively "ild bits6 )outh'iece design 'lus increased leverage (ro" useo( draw reins or running "artingales can create a seriously aggressive and even trau"atic bit6

,urb bits are leverage bits6 %he degree o( leverage 'lus the style o( "outh'iece can change the'otential severity6 Leverage increases as the lower shan5 lengthens6 %he (iner the "outh'iece2s"aller in dia"eter4$ the "ore severe the bit6 High 'orts$ hinged "outh'ieces and 'ro1ectionsbelow the level o( the bars o( the bit increase severity also6

:ther s'ecialty bits are designed (or s'eci(ic 'roble"s6 %he intent o( the use o( bits is (orco""unication6 A visit to "ost any tac5 sho' would "ore li5ely suggest they are designed (or8control69 %he intent would a''ear to be that control is achieved through disco"(ort or 'ain6 Withthe horse$ nothing could be (arther (ro" the truth6 !ain causes a horse to atte"'t to evade oresca'e6


13/24

!ro'er bitting achieves so(tness$ lightness and res'onsiveness and co"es only (ro" care(ultraining$ not (orce6 .orce "ay result in (ra"e$ but it is (ro" (ear$ not con(idence$ and is easilydistinguished once the di((erence is seen6

A large variety o( hac5a"ores have been tried on horses and develo'ed over the years6 :riginallybraided rawhide bosals were introduced (ro" 7'anish in(luence6 %hese were braided nosebands

with reins attached6 :ther (or"s have been s'in0o((s and include everything (ro" ro'e halters tolariat ro'e$ leather covered "etal$ hard 'lastic and seg"ented nosebands that can colla'se andcreate signi(icant 'ressure when the reins are 'ulled6 7ide0'ulls$ an Anglo version o( a 7'anishhac5a"ore$ are 'o'ular with the stoc5 horse breed trainers6 English riders have long used theirversion o( the side0'ull and call it a 81u"'ing hac5a"ore69 %raditional hac5a"ores are usedsi"ilar to sna((le bits in that they are "ost e((ective (or lateral control6 %hey are used to 'rotect theyoung horses "outh (ro" the bit6 7"all dia"eter bosals are used in co"bination with curb bits toadvance the horse in training to eventually being 8straight u'9 in the bridle6

Dr6 R6W6 ,oo5$ (or"ally at %u(ts +niversity ,ollege o( eterinary )edicine$ has beco"e involvedwith what he calls 8%he #itless #ridle69 Dr6 ,oo5 has contended (or so"eti"e that bits arecounter'roductive to nor"al horse (unction6 A website$ 8%he #itless #ridle$9 e/'lains the (unctionand use o( this headstall6 !ersonal e/'erience indicates it has a wide variety o( uses6 &t has been

es'ecially use(ul in starting youngsters6

With all o( these alternatives to bits$ 'ulling on the reins creates 'ressure along the outer edge o(the horses chee5s6 %his results in 'ressing the inner0sur(ace o( the horses chee5s against theouter edges o( the u''er chee5 teeth6

Dentistry 'er(or"ed be(ore the young horse enters its (irst stage o( training has "any bene(its6 &t"ini"izes the ris5 o( creating a negative res'onse$ such as head tossing or bracing6 &( dental'roble"s e/ist$ such as shar' ena"el 'oints$ loose ca's and 'resence o( wol( teeth$ the use o(hac5a"ore0ty'e headstalls will not correct the training 'roble"s6 .i/ the dental 'roble"s (irst6

%he "ost i"'ortant lesson learned by the rider$ is increased awareness6 %he rider will learn torecognize the horses slightest try and reward it by releasing 'ressure6 %his requires ti"ing and

(eel$ both o( which are acquired with 'ractice and e/'erience6 %he results are de(initely worth thee((ort3

'osted< >??>@@6 Last u'dated< >??>@@


14/24

$he 415ortance o+ Maintaining the /ealth o+ Your/orse6s Mouth

Routine dental care is essential to your horse*s in health6 !eriodic e/a"inations andregular "aintenance$ such as (loating$ are es'ecially necessary today (or a nu"ber o( reasons@s6 &( you wait until the horse is in its >@s$ thesur(aces "ay be worn e/cessively and?or unevenly$ and since the teeth are no longereru'ting at this age$ align"ent "ay be i"'ossible6

DEVEL7!4#G G"EA$E" AWA"E#E33

&( a horse starts behaving abnor"ally$ dental 'roble"s should be considered as a

'otential cause6

%eeth should be (loated and "aintained as indicated by an annual e/a"ination 'er(or"ed

by an equine 'ractitioner6

Wol( teeth are routinely e/tracted (ro" 'er(or"ance horses to 'revent inter(erence with

the bit and its associated 'ain6

7edatives$ local anesthetics$ and analgesics can rela/ the horse and 5ee' it "ore

co"(ortable during (loating and other dental 'rocedures6 7uch drugs should bead"inistered only by a veterinarian6

Loose teeth are generally unhealthy teeth6 &( your equine 'ractitioner (inds a loose tooth$

he or she will li5ely e/tract it6 %his reduces the chance o( in(ection or other 'roble"s6

,anine teeth$ generally 'resent in "ature geldings and stallions and so"eti"es "ares$

are usually cli''ed and (iled s"ooth to 'revent inter(erence with the bit6 %his also reducesthe 'ossibility o( in1ury to both horse and hu"an6

De'ending on the condition o( your horse*s teeth$ "ore than one visit (ro" your equine

'ractitioner "ay be required to get the "outh in 'ri"e wor5ing order6

&t is i"'ortant to catch dental 'roble"s early6 Waiting too long "ay increase the di((icultyo( re"edying certain conditions or "ay even "a5e re"edy i"'ossible6

:lder horses should have their teeth chec5ed at least twice yearly6

M7"E 3E"47;3 DE#$AL A4LME#$3

7erious dental conditions can develo'$ such as in(ections o( the teeth and gu"s$ e/tre"ely longhoo5s on the "olars$ lost or (ractured teeth$ and others6 %hese conditions "ay require surgicaltreat"ent and?or e/traction by a veterinarian6 Your equine 'ractitioner can reco""end the best

treat"ent.

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18/24

;nderstanding Your /orse6s $eeth

by Manuel G& /i1enes


19/24

Abnor"al occlusion$ "issing teeth and abnor"al chewing 'atterns can result in the creation o( ado"inant tooth6 As the do"inant tooth eru'ts$ it wears down the o''osing tooth6 &( not treated$ thedo"inant tooth can wear the o''osing tooth down to the gu" line$ resulting in (eed 'ac5ing intothe gu" line6 %his can result in in(ection o( the tooth soc5et and its sinus6

When "ore than one tooth is do"inant$ the dental arcade will have high and low sections6 %his is

re(erred to as a wave "outh6 %his condition requires that the do"inant tooth be cut to the level o(the rest o( the teeth in that arcade6 %he o''osing sur(ace that has been worn away is le(t to growbac5 to the level o( the teeth in that arcade6 &t is i"'ortant to identi(y and cut bac5 the do"inanttooth; leveling the o''osite arcade that has been worn away will worsen the 'roble"6 Do"inantteeth will require "onitoring (or the li(e o( the horse6 :ther dental ano"alies$ such as ste' "outhand shear "outh$ also require the overriding tooth to be cut bac5 and "onitored6

+no''osed teeth will need to be cut bac5 routinely to 'revent the tooth (ro" i"'acting theo''osite gu"6 %his "ay occur a(ter a tooth is lost or in abnor"al occlusion occurring when theu''er and lower 1aws are not aligned 'ro'erly$ resulting in the (irst and last tooth being 'artiallyuno''osed6 %his tooth will have a section that is worn away$ while the rest o( the tooth continuesto grow and develo' a 'ointed sur(ace at the uno''osed end00re(erred to as dental hoo5s6 %hesehoo5s occur at the (ront and rear o( the dental arcade6 &( le(t untreated$ they will eventually i"'act

the o''osite gu" and cause severe disco"(ort to the horse6 ,utting or ras'ing down these hoo5sto the level o( the rest o( the arcade will 'revent these hoo5s (ro" creating a 'roble"6

%he incisors o( the horse also continue to eru't as the horse ages6 %hese teeth can beco"eloose or wear abnor"ally6 Loose incisors are o(ten 'ain(ul and "ight need to be re"oved6+neven incisors will inhibit the nor"al side0to0side chewing "otion o( the horse$ while incisorsthat are too long will 'revent the nor"al occlusion o( the chee5 teeth6 &t is i"'ortant that theincisors be evaluated and treated afterthe chee5 teeth have been e/a"ined6 7"all changes inthe incisors will have a large e((ect on the chee5 teeth$ es'ecially the rear "olars6

:(ten$ the older horse will need a tooth re"oved6 %his "ight be due to an in(ection$ or becausethe geriatric horse does not have enough reserve crown to hold the tooth in 'lace6 &n the lattercase$ the tooth will be loose and cause 'ain6 M rays "ay be required to identi(y the in(ected or

loose tooth$ which can be re"oved using a "olar e/tractor in the standing$ sedated horse6 7o"ein(ected teeth "ust be re"oved by re'ulsion6 %his "eans that the sinus above the tooth "ust beentered surgically and the tooth driven out using a "allet and dental 'unch6 %his 'rocedurerequires general anesthesia and leaves a large$ o'en tooth soc5et in the horse*s "outh that "ustbe 'ac5ed a(ter surgery until the de(ect is healed$ which "ay ta5e several wee5s6 !ac5ing isusually not required in the Cworn outC tooth as the soc5et le(t behind is "ini"al6

,hewing and grinding o( (eed are essential to your horse*s health and survival6 !ro'er dental carewill hel' your horse eat better$ be healthier$ and have (ewer "outh 'roble"s6 An annual orale/a" should be an integral 'art o( every horse*s health 'rogra"6

Manuel G. Himenes Jr., DVM, owner of Oahu Equine Veterinary Clinic in Hawaii, specialies inequine practice an! is a mem"er of ##E$ an! #VM#.

A1erican Association o+ Equine !ractitioners=>? 4ron Wor@s !i@eLeington, KY =?''

%B=B( )**C='>www&aae5&org

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20/24

Equine Dental 8are 4s More $han


21/24

%he horse is a continuous grazer$ that is$ both con(ined horses in a stall and (ree0ranging ani"alsusually eat =@0=> hours daily (or @0=@ "inute intervals i( hay or 'asture is available6

However$ (ull con(ine"ent to a stall does a((ect eating behavior6 ,on(ined horses (ed concentrateor 'elleted (eed eat "ore ra'idly and s'end the re"aining ti"e in boredo"6 Horses con(ined andnot allowed access to 'asture dont use the incisor teeth (or shearing$ and this "ight lead to

incisor overgrowth6

%his is the 'oint where your equine veterinarian co"es in6 )any arbitrary 'ractices such astraining techniques and (ull boarding change natural (unctions in the horses "outh6 Dental'roble"s can continually worsen unbe5nownst to the owner or trainer6 %he horse "ight begin toresist the bit$ not res'ond to co""on training techniques$ or even lose weight$ and the trainer"ight never consider that it "ight be a dental 'roble"6 .ro" (loating to (iling$ your 'ractitionercan hel' you develo' a dental hygiene 'rogra" (or your horse to hel' 'ut C'ower steeringC inyour horses "outh6

loating

+n(ortunately$ chee5 teeth tend to develo' shar' ena"el 'oints even under nor"al grazing

conditions6 #ecause the horses lower 1aw is narrower than its u''er 1aw$ and due to the grinding"otion during chewing$ shar' 'oints tend to (or" along the edges6 !oints (or" on the chee5 sideo( the u''er 1aw and the tongue side o( the lower 1aw6

.loating is the Cras'ing$C or (iling o( 'oints on the teeth to 'revent the" (ro" cutting the chee5 ortongue6 .loating "ight involve leveling o( the "olar arcades or rounding the sur(ace o( the second're"olar to rese"ble the end o( a thu"b6 %he goal o( (loating is to "aintain the sy""etry andbalance o( the arcade and to allow (ree chewing "otion6

%he techniques to (loat teeth vary a"ong 'ractitioners6 )ost veterinarians will sedate the horseand use a (ull0"outh s'eculu" to allow greater thoroughness in the e/a"ination and "ore'recision in 'er(or"ing corrective 'rocedures6

.loating teeth is 1ust one o( "any 'rocedures that "ight be available (ro" your veterinarian6)any other dental 'roble"s can develo' and go undetected until severe 'ain beco"es obvious6

"eca5 7n 8a5s

%he > deciduous 2baby4 teeth all should be re'laced by the age o( (ive years6 7o"eti"es theseteeth are not shed and result in a Cretained ca'$C which can cause inadequate chewing$ loss o(a''etite$ and 'oor 'er(or"ance6

Your veterinarian can e/tract the deciduous 're"olar or incisor once the boundary between thedeciduous and 'er"anent tooth is visible6 &( the baby tooth is e/tracted too early$ though$ the'er"anent tooth can be da"aged6

Wol+ $eeth

Wol( teeth are very s"all teeth located in (ront o( the second 're"olar and do not have long rootsthat set the" (ir"ly in the 1aw bone6 Lower wol( teeth are rare; but are so"eti"es (ound in lines o(7tandardbreds6 A horse "ight have none or u' to (our wol( teeth6


22/24

Although not all wol( teeth are troubleso"e$ veterinarians routinely re"ove the" to 'revent 'ainor inter(erence (ro" a bit6 &n addition$ adequate sha'ing o( the second 're"olar during (loatingcannot be done with wol( teeth 'resent6

Don0t Get /oo@ed

For"ally$ contact with the o''osing tooth 5ee's biting sur(aces equal6 When chee5 teeth are outo( align"ent$ hoo5s can (or"6 Hoo5s on the u''er chee5 teeth can inter(ere with biting6 Hoo5s onthe lower chee5 teeth can (orce the horse to chew u' and down$ causing stress on the 1aw"uscle6

8anines

As the na"e suggests$ canine teeth are shar'$ tall teeth used (or tearing (ood6 ,anines are'ri"arily (ound in the "ale horse and can beco"e too tall and shar'$ increasing the ris5 o(laceration to other horses when 'laying$ the chance o( in1ury by catching on (i/ed ob1ects$ anddi((iculty in inserting and re"oving the bit6 A veterinarian can shorten tall and ras' shar' canineteeth to 'revent these occurrences6

4denti+y !roble1s

&t is i"'ortant to catch dental 'roble"s early6 Waiting too long "ight increase the treat"entneeded or "ight even "a5e re"edy i"'ossible6

&( a horse starts behaving abnor"ally$ dental 'roble"s should be considered as a 'otentialcause6 Horses with dental 'roble"s "ight show obvious signs$ such as 'ain or irritation o( the"outh6 :ther indications o( dental 'roble"s include loss o( (eed (ro" "outh while eating;di((iculty chewing or e/cess salivation; loss o( body condition; large$ undigested (ood 'articles in"anure; head tilting or tossing; bit chewing$ tongue lolling$ (ighting the bit$ or resisting the bridle;buc5ing or (ailing to sto' or turn; (oul odor (ro" "outh or nostrils; traces o( blood in "outh; ornasal discharge or swelling o( the (ace

:ther horses "ight show no noticeable signs because they si"'ly ada't to their disco"(ort6 .orthis reason$ have your veterinarian thoroughly e/a"ine and (loat your horses teeth at least oncea year6 %his dental e/a" 'rovides the o''ortunity to 'er(or" routine 'reventative dental

"aintenance and avoid havingrelatively minor problems become serious in the future. Theend result is a healthier, more comfortable horse.

By Dean Scoggins, DVM; Jack asley, DVM; and !" #eon Scrutchfield, DVM

A1erican Association o+ Equine !ractitioners=>? 4ron Wor@s !i@eLeington, KY =?''

%B=B( )**C='>www&aae5&org

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23/24

Dental Ea1ination

by W& Leon 3crutch+ield, DVM,

4 have a Morgan 1are who, 4 thin@, 1ight have so1ething wrong with her teeth& What

should 4 e5ect +ro1 a dental ea1ination +or 1y horse

%he veterinarian and the owner need to discuss what the owner wants and e/'ects (ro" a dentale/a"ination6 Dental e/a"inations can vary (ro" a su'er(icial e/a"ination to identi(y "a1orabnor"alities only$ to a detailed e/a"ination that ho'e(ully will reveal the s"allest dental'roble"6 %he age and use o( the horse will in(luence the ty'e o( e/a"ination 'er(or"ed6

&( the owner only wants "a1or abnor"alities identi(ied$ the e/a"ination "ight consist o( (lushingthe "outh to re"ove (eed and hay$ a visual e/a"ination$ and 'ossibly a "anual e/a"ination67o"e veterinarians are s5ill(ul enough to 'al'ate 'arts o( all teeth o( "ost horses6 %his ty'e o(e/a"ination "ight identi(y "any 'roble"s$ es'ecially i( the horse is a"enable to thee/a"ination6 However$ it has the 'otential to "iss 'roble"s$ es'ecially at the bac5 o( the "outh6)ost horses that have had the shar' ena"el 'oints (loated o(( in the last year will (eel good i( only

the outsides o( the u''er (irst and second chee5 teeth are 'al'ated6 %he 'oints start redevelo'ingon the caudal lower chee5 teeth$ which are di((icult to 'al'ate without the use o( a (ull0"ouths'eculu"6

&( the horse has any signs o( 'roble"s in eating or 'er(or"ance that could be related to dental'roble"s and?or the owner wants and e/'ects to'0level dental care$ then a very co"'letee/a"ination should be done6 &t is di((icult to visualize all as'ects o( the bac5 chee5 teeth so'al'ation is a vital 'art o( the e/a"ination6 )ost horses will need to be sedated and a (ull0"ouths'eculu" used (or this thorough e/a"ination6 A (ull0"outh s'eculu" "ust be used to 'al'ate allas'ects o( all chee5 teeth6 7o"e 'ractitioners are co"(ortable using the (ull0"outh s'eculu" inunsedated horses$ but "ost are not6 7edation o( the horse has beco"e necessary as "orethorough e/a"inations and e/tensive corrective 'rocedures are 'er(or"ed6

Fewborn (oals should be e/a"ined to see i( there is 'ro'er align"ent o( the incisors 2'arrot0"outhed or sow0"outhed4 or congenital de(ects o( the li's or 'alate6 !rocedures that hel' incorrecting "alalign"ent "ight be available6

All horses going into training should have dental e/a"inations to allow the identi(ication andcorrection o( dental 'roble"s such as shar' ena"el 'oints and the 'resence o( wol( teeth6 7har'ena"el 'oints will cause disco"(ort and send "i/ed signals to the horse as a bit or noseband"ight 'ush the chee5s into the shar' 'oints on the outside o( the u''er chee5 teeth6 Fot all wol(teeth cause 'roble"s$ but no wol( tooth ever hel'ed the horse$ and so"e do cause 'roble"s6Wol( teeth also inter(ere with the rounding and s"oothing o( the (irst chee5 teeth 2bit seats4$ sowol( teeth should be e/tracted6

:ther 'roble"s that should be identi(ied include retained deciduous incisors and 're"olars2ca's4$ tall?long 2do"inant4 teeth$ hoo5s$ ra"'s$ bea5s$ and unlevel chewing sur(aces (ront tobac56 %he chewing sur(ace o( the chee5 teeth nor"ally slo'es =@0=O (ro" side to side6

&n(ected or diseased teeth do occur$ although they are rare6 %hey are indicated by (acial or"andibular swellings$ draining tracts$ slow eating$ holding the head to the side$ and bad odor o(the "outh6 &( there are signs o( an in(ected tooth$ radiogra'hic e/a"ination 'robably is indicated6

%he owner should e/'ect to be told and?or shown what 'roble"s?abnor"alities have beenidenti(ied$ what e((ect the abnor"alities "ight have on eating$ 'er(or"ance$ and long0ter" dental


24/24

health6 %he owner should be given an esti"ate o( the 'ro(essional (ees (or the indicatedcorrective 'rocedures6 &( the corrective 'rocedures are beyond the e/a"iner*s e/'ertise$5nowledge$ or instru"entation$ the owner should e/'ect to be re(erred to a s'ecialist6

Dental e/a"inations are i"'ortant in the health "anage"ent o( the horse and should be'er(or"ed on a regular basis6 %his "ight be on a si/ to => "onth basis as indicated by the

horse*s age$ use$ e/'ected level o( 'er(or"ance$ and overall condition o( the teeth6 Late two0yearolds or late three0year olds in to' level co"'etition "ight need to be seen every "onth as theyshed 2or (ail to shed4 deciduous 're"olars 2ca's4 and the new 'er"anent chee5 teeth develo'shar' ena"el 'oints6 A =@0year old in light 'leasure riding should be e/a"ined yearly to see i(corrective 'rocedures are indicated6 A (ew horses have such bad occlusions that they needcorrective 'rocedures every three "onths$ although that is unusual6 :wners need to observetheir horse*s eating habits and 'er(or"ance characteristics closely6 &( the horse changes eithereating and?or 'er(or"ance habits$ a dental e/a"ination is indicated6 Abnor"al conditions (ound ate/a"ination need to be corrected6 %his 'revents "inor 'roble"s (ro" beco"ing "a1or 'roble"s6Good dental care hel's reduce colic and cho5e$ 'rolongs the e((ectiveness o( the teeth$ increases(eed e((iciency$ and enhances 'er(or"ance6

%. &eon 'crutchfiel!, DVM, is the hea! of fiel! ser(ices at )e*as #+M ni(ersity an! has a

special interest in equine !entistry.

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