Equine Dentistry

We often tend to neglect a very integral part of the horse, his teeth. An equines' teeth should be checked bi-anually. Often we can become skilled at checking our own horses' teeth and gums, with the guidance of experienced Equine Dentist. Some Equine Dentists' will travel between communities to put on Dental Awareness Clinics.

If you are able to attend one of these clinics, the information is essentially invaluable. We have hosted these clinics in Central British Columbia, since 1999, and although each clinic curtails incalculable hours of preparation on the hosts or hostesses part, they are well worth it.

An Equines' Mouth

A horse has 24 deciduous (temporary) teeth and 40 to 42 adult (permanent) teeth. The variation in the permanent is caused by the canine teeth. Female horses do not usually have canines' although a very small minority has been known to have rudimentary canines. A wolf tooth is a small, inconstant pre-molar, which should be removed, as it tends to interfere with the bit.

The nature of the horse's diet and its digestive system requires the horse to grind its food thoroughly. As a horse grinds its food, its mandible (lower jaw) moves up and down as well as sideways, in a circular motion. During this process sharp edges or points can occur. These must be floated (filed down) to prevent lacerations of the soft tissue.

Much is happening in the horses' mouth up till 5 years of age. This is the most important time to convene with your Equine Dentist bi-annually to ensure the teeth erupt correctly and the caps are extracted if need be. This is also the easiest period to reliably tell the age of the horse. After the age of 5, this becomes more difficult.

Tooth Structure

The top surface is covered in enamel, a hard substance resistant to bacteria and acids. Beneath the enamel is a material called the dentin, which is softer. The pulp or the center of the tooth contains the blood vessels and nerves. Once the enamel is cracked, exposing the softer layers underneath, the tooth will deteriorate swiftly and the root will die.

A material called the cementum, which attaches the tooth to the bony socket via the periodontal membrane, covers the root. This is the weakest link and the most susceptible to periodontal diseases and tooth decay.

The teeth are 3 ½ to 4 inches in length. Most of this is imbedded in the bone of the Mandible (lower jaw) and the Maxilla (upper jaw). The teeth of the horse have long reserve crowns, which allow them to erupt for the horses' entire life. As they wear down, the shapes of the occlusal surfaces change. The incisors soon wear down to the enamel spot, which then reveals the dental star. The dental star starts out elongated but then changes to a circular shape. As the teeth wear down more yet, the shape changes into a triangular shape.

Signs of discomfort in the mouth

Eating more slowly

Tilting their heads while eating

Eating more selectively - dropping coarser feed

Quidding - dropping or spitting out grain

Will not drink cold water

In severe cases the horse will stop eating entirely and/or bleed from the mouth, especially after being ridden with a bit. A horse may toss its' head while being ridden, or even become hard to bridle, or in the case of a young horse, they may object to bridle training. Left unattended the horse may experience mild to severe cases of colic due to improperly processed foods.

Causes of discomfort

Sharp points on the teeth can lacerate the gums, cheeks and tongue

Dental caps can also lacerate the gums, cheeks and tongue

Infected abscessed teeth

Mouth infections

Foreign objects wedged in the soft tissue of the mouth

Although we are not hosting the clinics for the next short while due to interest from other parties, which is wonderful, the Equine Dentist still stays at the ranch during his visit to central British Columbia. Anyone looking for more information on these clinics or information on hosting an Equine Dental Awareness Clinic in British Columbia, may contact us at Wishon-Ranch@shaw.ca. You can also check out Cliff Hanna's website.

We strongly recommend Cliff Hanna. I had been taking my Thoroughbred rescue horse, Keno, to the veterinary whenever he needed teeth done because of previous problems. After our discussion with Cliff in regards to the veterinary giving Keno two tranquilizers with no effect, Cliff offered to give it a go. Keno is shy about his mouth being worked on because of numerous old lacerations, but he started to realize that Cliff was only trying to help. He finally stood until Cliff decided he was finished!

Check out Keno's story.

Created on December 15, 2003
Most recent update November 8, 2004

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