Equine Dental Abnormalities & Dentistry Brendan Kraus, DVM Photos courtesy Leon Scrutchfield,DVM

1. Equine Dental Abnormalities& DentistryBrendan Kraus, DVMPhotos courtesy Leon Scrutchfield,DVM

2. Equine Teeth • Horses evolved as a continuously grazing animal • Free range horses graze 10-12 hours per day. • Dental problems have been made worse by man altering the horse’s natural lifestyle • Stalled horses eat grain or pelleted feed in short periods of time. • The composition of the diet has a great influence on the development of dental abnormalities • Lack of grazing to wear incisors • Lack of fiber mastication to wear cheek teeth • Lateral movement of jaw is important

3. Equine Teeth, cont. Horses developed teeth suited to mastication of grass • High Crowns • Abrasives would wear out low-crowned teeth • Increased # of cusps • Complex pattern of enamel • Self sharpening (layers with different degrees of hardness) • Increased size of grinding teeth • Formation of grinding teeth into a battery (arcade)

4. Hypsodont Teeth • Adult Teeth are continually erupting. • At least 2-3mm per year to allow for worn away tooth • Allows for dental abnormalities to compound themselves • Teeth will eventually slow down eruption, and “wear out”

5. Horse Tooth Complex • Enamel • Pulp/dentin complex • Cementum

6. Young Teeth/Old Teeth

7. Veterinary Dentistry • The field has recently been advanced with the development of improved tools and sedatives • Artificially wear down the teeth with manual or power instrumentation • Correct problems that have developed • “Maintenance” to prevent problem development • Shaping of teeth to enhance use/performance

8. Veterinary Dentistry, cont. • Help Promote Effective Chewing • Help Prevent Colic and Choke • Help protect the mouth’s soft tissues • Help prevent discomfort from the bit • Help prevent discomfort from the bridle • Help prevent neck and back pain • Help alleviate problems in the “Golden Years”

9. NONE! Slobber Eat Slowly Tilt Head Quid Head Toss Chew the bit Tail Swing Bucking Refuse collect or take lead Facial swelling Nasal discharge Draining tracts Dental Abnormality Symptoms

10. Wash out feed material Sedation Stocks/Restraint Full Mouth Speculum Light source Oral Examination

12. Sharp Enamel Points Hooks Ramps Steps Waves Transverse Ridges Incisors Bite Retained Caps Periodontal Disease Wolf Teeth Abnormalities

14. Sharp Enamel Points

21. Hooks

27. Caps-Retained Deciduous Premolars • First 3 Cheek Teeth in Place at Birth • Permanents erupt in-caps shed • 2 Years Eight Months • 2 years Ten Months • 3 Years Eight Months

28. Lower Jaw Caps

30. Upper Caps

34. What Killed This Horse?

35. Wolf Teeth

36. Blind Wolf Tooth

38. Lower Wolf Tooth

39. Canines

40. Incisors

44. Retained Baby Incisor

46. Wave Mouth