Equine Dentition

Equine Health Management

November 30, 2011Presentation by Erin Pittman

“Never Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth”

Aging a horse by teeth

Diseases of the teeth

Diseases of the oral cavity

Teeth

Incisors – cutting teeth, closest to the front of the mouth

Canines – common in adult males, less common and smaller in adult females Found in the gap between the incisors and

premolars Premolars – the three or four cheek teeth

closest to front of mouth Molars – the three cheek teeth at the back of

the mouth

Deciduous Teeth

A total of 24 “baby” or “milk” teeth in the young horse

12 incisors and 12 premolars No canines or molars!

Permanent Teeth

Replace the deciduous teeth, where present The deciduous tooth that precedes the

permanent tooth is called a cap From eruption to being in wear is ~6

months Continue to grow, using up the reserve

crown over many years Adult stallion with wolf teeth has 42 teeth

Premolars

Molars

Canine

Permanent Teeth

Six cheek teeth Premolars 2, 3, and 4 Molars 1, 2, and 3 Fourth cheek tooth is the first molar

First premolar = wolf tooth May be absent or very small in adult

Incisors: Central Intermediate Corner

Eruption Dates

Deciduous Permanent

1st incisor 0 – 1 week 2 ½ years

2nd incisor 4 – 6 week 3 ½ years

3rd incisor 6 – 9 months 4 ½ years

*Canine 4 – 5 years

1st Premolar (wolf tooth)

5 – 6 months

Eruption Dates

Deciduous Permanent

2nd Premolar 0 – 2 weeks 2 ½ years

3rd Premolar 0 – 2 weeks 3 years

4th Premolar 0 – 2 weeks 4 years

1st Molar 9 – 12 months

2nd Molar 2 years

3rd Molar 3 ½ - 4 years

Aging by teeth

An imprecise science – after the permanent teeth have erupted and are in wear, aging by teeth is a matter of judgement!

Things to consider

Permanent vs. deciduous teeth 7 and 11 year hooks Points and stars. Enamel cups and

dental stars Galvayne’s Groove Incisor Angle Lip tattoo. 1997 started the alphabet

again at “A”

One Year Old

Two Years Old

Three Years Old

Four Years Old

Five Years Old

Six Years Old

Seven Years Old

7-year hook

Eight Years Old

Nine Years Old

Ten Years Old

Galvayne’s Groove

Twelve Years Old

Fifteen Years Old

Seventeen Years Old

Twenty Years Old and Older

Dental Problems?

Quidding Spilling/spitting grain or

hay Difficulty chewing Cheek sensitivity or

swelling Sensitivity to the bit Head shaking or head tilt

Foul odor from mouth or nostrils

Excess salivation Exaggerated tongue

movements Bleeding from mouth

(especially after riding) Poor body condition Rough haircoat

Dental Examinations

Probably need to be tranquilized!

MUST use a full-mouth speculum

Visual and digital examination essential

How often?

Dental Problems

Retained dental caps Permanent teeth can’t push deciduous

teeth out Lampas

Swelling in hard palate mucous membrane Two year old bumps

Bone reacts with teeth lump below jaw Wolf teeth

Not always next to premolar 2

Wolf tooth location and extraction

Dental Problems

Canines Don’t always erupt

Molar hooks Upper premolar 2 Lower third molar (most painful) Float inside lower jaw, outside of upper jaw

Cribbing (woodchewing) Air isn’t swallowed!

Floating the teeth toget rid of sharp pointson molars and premolars Outside of upper teeth Inside of lower teeth

Dental Problems

Windsucking (Stumpsucking) Similar to Cribbing but doesn’t require

something to set teeth on May cause colic Overdevelopment of neck muscles

Parrot Mouth/overshot jaw Increased incidence of molar hooks Decreased ability to prehend food

Parrot Mouth

Dental Problems

Monkey Mouth/undershot jaw

Wave Mouth Can be caused by retained

cap Uneven wear of premolars

and molars Step mouth

Missing teeth/uneven wear Cracked or fractured teeth

Dental Problems

Periodontal disease Dental decay Tooth root abscess Supernumerary teeth Dentigerous cyst Salivary duct injuries Tongue lacerations Oral ulcers

Dental Problems

Cleft Palate

Odontomas

Bishoping

Dysphagia

Difficulty or unwillingness to eat

Slow and messy feeding Extreme bad breath Quidding Productive cough Nasal reflux of saliva,

food and fluids

Possible Causes: Strangles infection Stylohyoid osteomyleitis Physical trauma Poisoning, such as lead Botulism

Inability to prehend, chew and swallow properly