Post on 21-Dec-2015
Reason for Dentist care• Abnormal wear
• Eliminate hooks & points
• Create “bit seat”
• Pull wolf teeth
• Remove caps
• Broken tooth
• Abscessed tooth
http://www.crossroadsequinedentistry.com/what.htm
Signs that Horse is in Need of Dentistry Work
• Drops feed out of mouth
• Sensitive around mouth area
• Swelling or heat around jaw
• Losing weight
• Resistant to the bit
• Abnormal teeth wear
http://www.amscheqdentistry.com/articles/
Teeth Problems• Parrot Mouth OR Over-
shot jaw– Upper jaw over laps lower
jaw
• Monkey Mouth OR
Under-shot jaw– Lower jaw over laps
upper jaw
http://www.perfequinedentistry.com/photo_gallery.htm
http://www.hanne.com/teeth-photos.htm
Cribbing Wear
• Horses that crib often wear their incisors abnormally
http://www.hanne.com/teeth-photos.htm
Note the angled Note the angled wear of this horses wear of this horses central incisorscentral incisors
Abnormal Molar Wear
• Wave Mouth • Step Mouth
http://www.crossroadsequinedentistry.com/what.htm http://www.hanne.com/teeth-photos.htm
Abnormal Incisor Wear
• Due to the upper incisor being damaged, the lower incisor has no grinding surface.
• Result is uneven
wear
http://www.hanne.com/teeth-photos.htm
Hooks
• Hooks can occur on the upper corner incisors, 1st premolars, and 3rd molars– Created when
opposing tooth does not wear down front or back edges of tooth
http://www.vet.ksu.edu/media/dentstry/sld009.htm
Points• Points can occur on any of the premolars or
molars– Created due to the lower jaw being slightly
narrower than the upper jaw– Points occur on outside edge of upper jaw and
inside edge of lower jaw due to unequal grinding
Points have caused sores in this horses cheek
http://www.crossroadsequinedentistry.com/what.htm
Floating Teeth• Filing or Grinding of the
teeth
– Making grinding tables smooth
– Filing off points and hooks
– Making a “bit seat”
http://www.crossroadsequinedentistry.com/what.htm
Both hand held & electronic floats pictured above
http://www.crossroadsequinedentistry.com/what.htm
Speculum
http://www.advancedequinedentistry.com/photogallery.htm
Used to hold horse’s mouth open during floating or other dentistry procedure
http://www.crossroadsequinedentistry.com/what.htm
Floating Teeth• A horse’s teeth should be
floated at least once a year
• Horse’s teeth should be checked every 6 months by a vet or equine dentist