Dentistry

• What is floating teeth?
• Why do horses' teeth need to be floated more than once?
• Does it hurt my horse to have their teeth floated?
• If dentistry does not hurt why does the horse need to be sedated?
• How often should I have routine dental care done?
• My horse started to fight the bit, is there a dental problem?
• What problems can occur if a horse's teeth are not floated?
• What age should I begin having regular dental exams?
• Why should I choose a veterinarian who has had special training in dental care?
• Does every horse need a specially trained veterinarian?

Q:   What is floating teeth?

A:   The term "floating " refers to the smoothing or leveling of a surface.  With floating teeth, we remove the enamel points on both upper and lower arcades.

Q:   Why do horses' teeth need to be floated more than once?

A:   Enamel points occur on the inside of the lower teeth and on the outside on the upper teeth.  This is because the lower jaw is narrower than the upper jaw and the two arcades do not match up and because the horses teeth are continually erupting and growing out.  The horse has evolved these kind of teeth because of the hard substances it has to chew when eating.

Q:   Does it hurt my horse to have their teeth floated?

A:   No, the anatomy of the horses tooth is considerably different from ours.  They have a very long crown and short root section where the nerve is located.  When we float, we take off the enamel points on the crown and do not come close to the nerve.

Q:   If dentistry does not hurt why does the horse need to be sedated?

A:   Most leaders in the field agree that it is not possible to perform a thorough examination and correction without heavy sedation.  While the procedure is not painful, it is cause for apprehension for most horses.  The sedation is safe and allows him/her to relax so that the work can be done effectively and without stress to the horse.  The object of a dental exam and/or dentistry is to find any abnormalities and correct them.  We routinely place a mouth speculum (a device to keep a horses' mouth open) on the horse to perform a thorough exam and take care of any abnormalities that may be found.  The great majority of horses will not allow this sort of procedure to be performed with out some degree of sedation.  Most horses will shake their head in avoidance of both the speculum and the floatation instruments and without sedation this can become quite hazardous to the holder, the veterinarian and any spectators.

Q:   How often should I have routine dental care done?

A:   A dental exam and routine dental care should be done every 6-12 months.  This depends on the age and use of your horse.

Q:   My horse started to fight the bit, is there a dental problem?

A:   There could be a sharp enamel point pinching a cheek in the bit.  The best recommendation is to have a complete dental exam performed by us.

Q:   What problems can occur if a horse's teeth are not floated?

A:   A horse can suffer from; weight loss, malnourishment, chronic colic, cheek and tongue lacerations, periodontal disease, choke and even an inability to eat.  A horse can also have major behavioral problems and training problems stemming from tooth abnormalities.

Q:   What age should I begin having regular dental exams?

A:   When or soon after the foal is first born, we can determine whether it has an under or overbite or any other initial dental abnormality.  The earlier the problem is found the easier the problems can be corrected.  After the foal exam, unless there is a dental abnormality suspected, the next dental exam should occur when the horse is going into training, or being ridden with a bit, or when they turn 2.5 to three years old.

Q:   Why should I choose a veterinarian who has had special training in dental care?

A:   The knowledge, techniques, and equipment required to perform a thorough dental exam, make proper corrections, and balance a horse's mouth are difficult to acquire and time consuming to master.  As specialization is becoming increasingly common in other areas of medicine, so too is the case in veterinary medicine.  The improved health and performance that a veterinarian with specialized training can bring your horse through proper, dental care is impressive.  You will see and feel the difference as will your horse.

Q:   Does every horse need a specially trained veterinarian?

A:  Every horse will benefit from the care that a specialized veterinarian can provide.  As you know, it is much better to prevent a problem than try to correct it once it's well established.  A horse's mouth is no exception.  Domestic horses by virtue of being domesticated are prone to dental aberrations for a host of reasons. On a basic level: wild horses with dental problems can't eat and will die.  By natural selection, their genes are removed from the pool.  We humans don't usually breed or buy our dream horse for dental soundness.  Natural selection is removed from the cycle and dental problems accumulate.

Secondly, domestic horses don't exactly live as their wild cousins do.  Horses evolved over the centuries with access to mainly grass forage 24 hours a day.  Most of our horses aren't so lucky.

Thirdly, domestic horses do things for us that wild horses don't have to worry about.  Remember, we communicate with our horses through their mouths! If things are amiss inside that mouth, how good is the communication likely to be? Lastly, we all want our equine partners to be around for a long time.  The truth of the matter is, if the teeth go, the horse isn't far behind.  If the tendency toward a problem is detected early and properly corrected, it may never become a problem at all.  It doesn't make sense to wait until you perceive your horse is having difficulty.  With timely evaluations by a skilled professional, most horses can have a healthy, solidly functioning mouth well into their geriatric years.