dentistry

Equine dentistry is essential not only for the horse's nutrition, but also for proper head and body movement.  Peak performance starts with the jaw, and continues through the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), then onward to the tail via the cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacral vertebral body bones. 

At each stage of a horse’s life, from foal to adulthood, the mouth and teeth should be examined. A thorough examination entails floating (smoothing down sharp teeth edges to decrease soft tissue damage, to allow proper range of motion and ensure equilibrium), evaluating the TMJ, checking the alignment, and looking for pathologies in the mouth. In addition, a proper full visual and palpable oral exam is a vital part of a thorough examination. This is done for nutritional purposes, to optimize comfort and performance, minimize pain and downtime, and to avoid unnecessary expense. 

A horse’s dental care can even greatly influence movement and whether it may seem lame. Yes, a horse may be lame if proper dental care is not provided.

Reasons Horses Should Have Proper Dental Care

• Their anatomical and physiological make up.
• The maxilla (upper part of the mouth) is wider than the mandible (lower part of the mouth). The areas of the upper teeth that are in contact with the areas of the lower teeth wear each other down, leaving sharp points on the outer side of the upper teeth, and the inner side of the lower teeth.
• The horse’s teeth have a prolonged eruption time of two to three millimeters per year. Their designated length of tooth continues to protrude into the oral cavity throughout life.
• They must maintain their ability to grind food.
• They must be able to accommodate our demands of them.
• They must be able to accommodate a bit in their mouth.
• They must be able to move their head freely to, for example, flex at the poll and move their head comfortably from side-to side.

Frequency of Floating Teeth

• The mouth should be evaluated at birth to check proper alignment.
• Age 1½ - 6: Twice a year.
• Age 7 - 10: Yearly.
• Age 11 - older: As a horse ages, and possible weaknesses in the mouth develop, one, two or more times per year may be advisable.
• Any anatomical (missing tooth), physiological (chew movement), pain (TMJ), or tooth composition abnormality of the mouth will change the frequency in the need of an oral examination and float.  

These are estimates only; every horse should be evaluated as an individual.

Dental Examination

• Sedation: A thorough visual and manual examination of a horse’s mouth is essential in order to properly float, examine, and align horses' teeth. The appropriate amount of sedation facilitates this process while reducing the horse's anxiety.
• Full mouth speculum: A full mouth speculum is essential to allow the veterinarian to check for sharp points and abnormalities on and between the teeth, and see ulcers or indentations on the cheeks. Regular complete and thorough examinations will not only help the horse, but could also help an owner avoid a costly financial burden.  
• Floats: Both manual and electric floats are appropriate under the right condition of the horse’s mouth and in the right hands. The electric float is preferable when a horse has a missing tooth or loose tooth. The electric tool will put less friction on a loose tooth than will the manual float. It will reduce the chances of potentially loosening a tooth further.

Conclusion

A thorough examination of your horse’s mouth, alignment, front teeth (incisors), cheek teeth (canines, premolars and molars), TMJ, and cheeks,  is essential for the health, comfort and performance of your horse. Proper sedation, along with a full mouth speculum, head light, mirror, and appropriate dental tools, is safe and necessary. It is much easier on the horse, and less of a financial burden for the owner, to avoid possible dental problems than to try to correct them. Many teeth problems in the geriatric horse are harder, if not impossible, to correct once they have occurred. 

Dentistry in the horse is not just the floating of teeth, although that is the most common procedure. It is also to create proper movement, alignment, and equilibrium of the mouth, address possible pathologies and provide treatment. It will also facilitate proper balance and movement of the body. Regular maintenance of the teeth will allow early diagnosis of abnormal conditions and help prevent a more serious situation. It is a vital and an important component of the health care of your horse.