Equine dentistry has been an area of veterinary medicine that has been ignored by a great number of practitioners, probably because it has traditionally been viewed as hard work, which at times is not very rewarding. However, with the advancement of better equipment such as carbide floating blades and the utilization of power tools, equine dentistry, although still physically demanding is a little less intimidating. The AAEP of "The American Association of Equine Practitioners" has recently taken it upon themselves to further the dental skills of its members through a variety of work shops. These work shops have been specifically tailored for the practicing veterinarians so that we might be able to offer the most up to date techniques of dentistry for our equine patients.

We are all aware that horses at various times suffer from dental problems. These problems may be temporary, but can quite often become more chronic. Horses that have dental problems may show no outward signs, such as pain or irritation, which in itself may lead to more severe conditions if left unchecked. There are a variety of signs which may be exhibited by an animal with dental problems, some of these include: difficulty chewing, loss of feed from their mouths while eating, loss of body condition or the inability to gain weight, large undigested particles in the manure, head tilting, fighting the bit or resisting bridling.

May of the dental problems which we come across in horses can be directly attributed to the way in which we feed our horses. In the wild, horses graze continuously which helps wear down their teeth. In the case of our domesticated animals, feedings are much more regimented and the amount of time which a hoses spends chewing it is greatly reduced. This is especially true of horses that are stabled during the long winter months. Cilicate that is found in grasses as well as the grit that grazing horses pick up when eating off the ground, further help wear down their teeth. The prepared grains and hay that are routinely fed to housed animals are softer and require far less chewing and because less time is spent chewing these horses teeth tend to wear less and become too long. This is especially true of the cheek teeth. Sharp enamel points develop along the outer edge of the upper molars and inner edge of the lower molars. These points may lead to lacerations of the tongue and cheeks. There are a variety of other dental problems that may show themselves at different times throughout the life time of a horse. A short list of these would include retained caps (growing animals), hooks on the upper and lower cheek teeth, broke or lost teeth, tooth root abscesses, excessively worn teeth and abnormal or uneven bite planes just to name a few.

Many of the problems that have been noted above can be avoided if preventative measures are taken, namely routine floating. Floating is little more than the rasping of the molars to remove the sharp enamel points which helps maintain an even bite plane. When neglected, hooks may develop on the second premolar and the third molar. These hooks have been known to grow long enough to penetrate the roof of the mouth. Small hooks can be removed by floating. Larger hooks have traditionally been removed with molar cutters or chisels. However, more and more practitioners are turning to power tools to help make this job faster and easier. Floating can become increasingly important in the aging horse where there has been loss of one or more teeth. The remaining tooth, opposite to that which has been lost, has a tendency to grow too long which interferes with normal grinding motion of the jaws which horses utilize to chew their feed.

Although often overlooked, routine dental care is an essential part of maintaining  your horses health. A healthy mouth will ensure that feeds are utilized more efficiently, allowing for better performance and in some cases may extend the life expectancy of your horse.