Some Indications of Dental Problems
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WHAT is Equine Dentistry?
It is the care of healthy teeth,
as well as the treatment of
unhealthy teeth. It involves
the use of floats - either
mechanical or power rasps to
file down the teeth. Power
equipment offers significant
advantages over hand floats.
Among these are: shorter
duration of procedure, more
precise floating, less trauma to
soft tissues and less fatigue of
the veterinarian. In order for a
horse to 'flex at the poll', his
lower jaw must be able to
move forward, and side to
side. There are many teeth
abnormalities that prevent him
from being able to move
freely. In turn, this can cause
problems in his poll, and down
his back, and radiate to his
pelvis. Proper dental
equilibration can correct this.
It is the care of healthy teeth,
as well as the treatment of
unhealthy teeth. It involves
the use of floats - either
mechanical or power rasps to
file down the teeth. Power
equipment offers significant
advantages over hand floats.
Among these are: shorter
duration of procedure, more
precise floating, less trauma to
soft tissues and less fatigue of
the veterinarian. In order for a
horse to 'flex at the poll', his
lower jaw must be able to
move forward, and side to
side. There are many teeth
abnormalities that prevent him
from being able to move
freely. In turn, this can cause
problems in his poll, and down
his back, and radiate to his
pelvis. Proper dental
equilibration can correct this.
WHEN should a horse be
checked? Foals and yearlings
should be evaluated for incisor
abnormalities (over or under
bite), or any facial trauma.
Otherwise, horses should be
checked by the time they are
two, or at least 30 days prior to
training. Wolf Teeth should be
removed prior to the use of a
bit. Caps (baby teeth) may also
need to be removed. Dental
problems affect the way the
horse takes a bit, and may
create bad habits that are
difficult to correct later. Early
correction of many dental
problems can save the horse
years of pain, and greatly
extend the life of the teeth, not
to mention a much more
productive (and less expensive)
training experience. Adult
horses should have their teeth
checked every 6 to 12 months,
depending on their age,
occupation and dental health.
checked? Foals and yearlings
should be evaluated for incisor
abnormalities (over or under
bite), or any facial trauma.
Otherwise, horses should be
checked by the time they are
two, or at least 30 days prior to
training. Wolf Teeth should be
removed prior to the use of a
bit. Caps (baby teeth) may also
need to be removed. Dental
problems affect the way the
horse takes a bit, and may
create bad habits that are
difficult to correct later. Early
correction of many dental
problems can save the horse
years of pain, and greatly
extend the life of the teeth, not
to mention a much more
productive (and less expensive)
training experience. Adult
horses should have their teeth
checked every 6 to 12 months,
depending on their age,
occupation and dental health.
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SMILE!!
| Dentistry |
Providing good anatomical posture and positioning for the horse is
extremely important - even at the expense of the practitioner!
extremely important - even at the expense of the practitioner!