Equine Dentistry in Flagstaff
At Continental Animal Wellness Center we have a passion to provide our patients with comfortable and functional mouths. Horses have complex hypsodont teeth that are constantly erupting throughout their lifetime. Horses have a set of deciduous or baby teeth and then as those teeth are shed they have a permanent set of teeth that erupt. Due to the complex nature of their teeth horses and donkeys require routine dental care. We have the ability to perform equine dentistry procedures both in our clinic and also in the field using our mobile stocks. Learn more about the services we offer for equine wellness and reach out to our equine vet in Flagstaff, AZ to get started.
Our Equine Dental Services
Oral Exam
The oral exam is the most important part of any dentistry work on horses. A good oral exam can not be performed without 4 things: a bright light, a speculum, a mirror and adequate sedation for the patient. It is estimated through different studies that 36-85% of horses have some type of abnormality in their mouth.
Oral exams are so important for horses of any age! In young horses we are looking for congenital malocclusions and malformed teeth, caps that are not shedding properly, wolf teeth, and sharp points that can lead to lacerations of the tongue and cheeks.
As horses age they can develop numerous conditions including gingivitis, periodontitis, caries, and wear abnormalities. They can also have fractured teeth and tooth root infections which can present with secondary sinus problems. Horses also can develop cancer in the mouth with the most common oral cancer being squamous cell carcinoma.
Periodontal disease affects between 50-75% of horses with caries affecting about 31% of horses. Yearly oral exams are so important to identify abnormalities and start to make changes to preserve the health of the horses teeth and provide comfort.
Odontoplasty
Odontoplasty is a medical term which references the contouring of the tooth surface but in the equine world we commonly use the term “floating” when referencing this procedure. Floating is a masonry term where you smooth the plaster/ concrete. Odontoplasty and floating can be used synonymously when referencing the same procedure of smoothing and leveling the teeth.
Typically, it is recommended to float teeth in horses on an annual basis. Some horses that are young, have missing teeth or malocclusions may need more frequent floating in order to keep their mouths functional.
Digital Radiography
X-rays are a very important first diagnostic step to help identify abnormalities in the mouth. X-rays can assess the teeth, occlusion and also the sinuses. In order to take proper x-rays of the head of the horse, they will need to be sedated and their mouth positioned appropriately.
EOTRH
Equine Odontoclastic Tooth Resorption and Hypercementosis is a painful and progressive disease of middle aged and geriatric horses. This disease mostly affects the incisor and canine teeth and the severity increases with age. Affected horses try to avoid percussion of the affected teeth due to pain so will commonly present with decreased appetite, salivating, not wanting to take the bit, not grazing properly or not wanting to bite treats/ carrots with the front incisors. Commonly EOTRH will cause destruction of the tooth and secondary abscesses and draining tracts that can affect the surrounding bone. Radiographs are the best way to diagnose this disease and extractions of affected teeth are warranted.
A Tail of Hidden Teeth
Pencil is just about the most handsome and loveable gelding around. Very easy going and the softest eyes. When he was a colt, he was castrated and checked for wolf teeth. It was found through oral exam that he did not have any wolf teeth to extract.
Pencil had been trained and used for trail riding and spent one summer on a ranch. Being that he was your typical athletic Appendix horse, his second owner took him to High School rodeos which ended up being a short-lived relationship, and he was returned after two months. Following that, he went to a professional eventing trainer for a few months, who started him in dressage. He was a quick learner and was referred to as “the Unicorn”—his only issue at the time was being somewhat difficult while bridling. At age six, Pencil found his next home with a student of the trainer, where he started in light jumping and continued trail riding. Things seemed to be going well for the first six months, except for bridling and ear sensitivity issues. Still, over time his new owner noticed that he was becoming more difficult to ride and displaying some really dangerous behaviors, particularly at the start of rides. Pencil’s owner knew that something was wrong with her normally sweet-natured gelding and started with an oral exam. Pencil had not had any dental care that she was aware of in the past year but had been checked and floated by an equine dentist earlier in his life.
A surprise was found as soon as Pencil’s mouth was opened! At first glance, he did not appear to have wolf teeth but a quick feel of his mouth told a different story. Pencil had a secret sitting under the pink gums of his mouth. Two little raised bumps in the area where the bit typically sits were felt. A few quick x-rays and two “blind” wolf teeth were found.
The first premolar, otherwise referred to as a wolf tooth, is a vestigial tooth not typically associated with chewing. The first premolar is not present in all horses and sits in an area that can interfere with a bit. Occasionally, a wolf tooth will develop in a more tipped or horizontal plane, as opposed to the normal vertical orientation within the jaw, resulting in a blind or nonerupted wolf tooth. It is estimated that blind teeth only occur in 2-3% of horses that have wolf teeth. For horses with biting problems associated with blind wolf teeth, extraction of the teeth alleviate the clinical signs.
Pencil was floated and his blind wolf teeth were extracted. His owner noticed an immediate change in his demeanor and his ear sensitivity went away. Pencil seemed much more comfortable and was now back to being his happy self, even when being ridden.