01/09/2023
🦄🦷What to expect from a Equine Dental visit🦷🦄
First of all when booking your horse/pony/donkey in for a dental make sure your Equine Dental Technician is fully qualified.
Either a full member of British Association of Equine Dental Technicians ( BAEDT )
Or a Full member of World Wide Association of Equine Dentists ( WWAED )
Also keeping up with training and CPD, this year I’m expecting to do 18 days training/CPD both in the UK and abroad 🦷
To make sure your best friend is in the best hands 💕
Your equine dentist will take down your horses details, history and any problems your horse may be having.
I chart all this information on the Pimbury app to create a dental chart that you will receive via email, some dentists use paper charts.
Will then check the environment is safe to work in, ideally an empty stable 🐴
They will then do a external assessment of your horses head.
Manipulating around the Temporal Mandibular Joint for any pain.
Checking for muscle symmetry, swellings, lumps bumps and any discharge from the eyes/nose.
I often get asked why I’m giving them a face massage 🤣
Next the incisors ( front teeth ) will be checked over.
Looking for any malocclusions ( problems )
Checking for the correct angle
Overbite, underbite etc
Diastema ( feed between teeth )
Gingivitis
Open pulps
Fractures
Tartar
Some horses incisor may not be straight, which effects the movement in the jaw and adds pressure to the Temporal Mandibular Joint ( TMJ ) these horses will require remedial treatments, discussed at the time.
Canines will be cleaned of any tartar and checked over.
The bars of the mouth will be checked for any lumps/bumps/bone spurs/bruising.
When happy with everything the speculum ( gag ) will be fitted to your horse.
Once the mouth is open it will be flushed out with water so the cheek teeth are easily visible, the smallest amount of food could be hiding something important! 👀
A bright headlight will be used along with a mirror to check all the cheek teeth for any problems. Incredibly important that you can see what you’re doing!
Malocclusion will be looked for such as
Sharp enamel points
Focal overgrowths ( hooks )
Dominant overgrown teeth
Diastema ( gap between teeth, often with food packing )
Periodontal disease
Infundibular caries
Peripheral caries
Open pulp
Fractures
Etc….
The next stage will be the correction by rasping down the sharp points and overgrowths.
Or a referral to a veterinarian specialist if severe problems are found.
Once finished you will be talked through what’s been found, and what’s been corrected along with a dental chart and when the next treatment will be needed.
Then leave your horse feeling a lot more happy and comfortable 🦷🦄
