Basic equine dentistry

Gary Wilson

Minimum list of instruments for equine dentistry

• Dental halter• Full mouth speculum• Incisor speculum• Light• Flushing syringe• Dental pick• Mirror [rigid preferred]• Upper floats

– For 6’s– For 7-9– For 10 & 11

• Long flat for lower arcades

• PowerFloat• Wolf tooth elevators• Wolf tooth forceps• Cap forceps• Molar spreaders• Molar forceps• Set of fulcrums• Set of “disposable” flat

blade screwdrivers

ANATOMY

Permanent

2 x (I 3/3, C 1[0]/1[0], P 4[3]/4[3], M 3/3) = 36 - 44

DENTAL FORMULAE

Deciduous 2 x (i 3/3, [c 1/1], p 3/3) = 24[28]

Occlusion

• cheek teeth are all molariform [same shape]

• tightly adjoined & act as a single grinding unit

• both arcades should be aligned & same length

DENTITION

• hypsodont (high crowned teeth)

• peripheral crown cementum

• reserve crown

• tooth discolouration

Eruption times

Permanent:

1st incisor 2.5 years

2nd incisor 3.5 years

3rd incisor 4.5 years

canine 4 - 5 years

P1 (wolf tooth) 5 - 6 months

P2 2.5 years M1 9 - 12 months

P3 3 years M2 2 years

P4 4 years M3 3.5 - 4 years

[in wear approximately 6 months after eruption]

Order of eruption of permanent cheek teeth:

M1; M2; P2; P3; M3/P4

Hence P4 [3rd cheek tooth] is the most likely to be impacted.

Ageing

• relatively accurate to 6 years of age

• 2½ years– centrals erupt

• 3 years– centrals in wear

• 3½– intermediates erupt

• 4 years– intermediates in wear

• 4½ years– corners erupt

• 5 years– corners in wear [mesial only]

• 6years – corners in full occlusal contact

Ageing

• relatively accurate to 6 years of age

• educated “guessing” after 6 years of age

• depends on rate of wear (& hence affected by tooth composition & feed types etc.)

Signs of early dental disease

• Head shaking or tossing• Poor responsiveness to the

reins• Lugging/head tilt• Subtle front lameness• Rearing/bucking• Working behind the bit• Poor collection• Refusal to maintain head

carriage

• Refusal to take one lead or slow in transitions

• Resistance to turn• Pulling hard• Refuses to accept bridling• Tongue over bit or sticks

tongue out• Slightly opens mouth

when head vertical• Chewing the bit

Signs of early dental disease

• These are all signs of pain avoidance

• Will be noticed by astute riders

• Easily missed unless a detailed history is obtained from rider

• Often blamed on conditions other than dental [often fictitious conditions]

Moderate dental disease

• Spilling feed

• Head tilt

• Facial expressions consistent with pain as eat

• Excess salivation

• Quidding of feed

• Slow eating

• Frequent washing of mouth in water

• Leaving salt or hard grains

• Anxiety or anger when eating

• Eating the hay & leaving the grain

• Dropping balls of feed onto ground

• Faeces with significant numbers of fibres that are > 10mm in length

• Faeces with whole grains in it

Signs of severe dental disease

• Halitosis

• Facial swellings [mandible or maxilla]

• Purulent nasal discharge

• Draining sinus tracts

• Poor body condition for amount of diet fed

• Choke

• Colic

• Diarrhoea

Diagnosis & treatment of diseased teeth

• Rule 1 – a condition can’t be treated until it has been

diagnosed [i.e. don’t just pick up & rasp & “go for it”]

• Rule 2– the most important part of a diagnosis is the

HISTORY

• Rule 3– to diagnose you must be able to SEE

Periodontal disease

- the commonest disease in all mammalian species!

Periodontal disease

• sharp enamel points predispose to PD - result in pain & reduced lateral excursion

• mastication of fibrous particles reduced & these lead to trauma of gingivae - marginal gingivitis

Treatment of periodontal disease

• clean periodontal pockets of ALL debris

• flush cleaned pockets with chlorhexidine 0.2%

• increasing diastema size - long-term benefits?

• preventative measures

Prevention of periodontal disease

• regular maintenance [examination and floating]

• correction of all abnormalities as soon as noticed

Extraction of Wolf Teeth

Extraction of Wolf Teeth

• Wolf teeth may or may not be causing a problem

• sedate & infra-orbital nerve block or local infiltration

• loosen with dental elevator or wolf tooth elevator & remove as for incisors in dogs

• care with palatine artery