Equine Dentistry and Diseases of the Head Flashcards
(111 cards)
What can dental disease result in for horses?
- Oral pain and discomfort
- Weight loss
- Predisposition for certain colics
- Secondary disease process- sinusitis
What type of teeth do horses have?
Hypsodont- long crowned
Erupt 2mm/year
What is a horses deciduous and permanent dental formula?
Deciduous- [I 3/3, C 0/0, M 3/3] x2 = 24
Permanent- [I3/3, C1/1 or 0/0, PM 3/3 or 4/4, M3/3] x2 = 36-44
Which first number of 1, 2, 3 or 4 identifited which quadrant of a horse mouth with the triadan system?
100- upper right /5
200- upper left/ 6
300- lower left/ 7
400- lower right/ 8
/ deciduous
When do horses deciduous and permanent incisors erupt and show wear?
Deciduous Incisors-
Central- 1 week
Middle- 6 weeks
Corner- 6-9 months
Central permanent- 2.5 years, in wear 3 years
Middle permanent- 3.5 years, in wear 4 years
Corner permanent- 4.5 years, in wear 5 years
When do canines and wolf teeth erupt in horses?
Canine-
No deciduous precursor
Erupt- 5 years
Males- occasionally females
Wolf teeth-
No deciduous
Erupt- 1 year
When do horses premolars and molars erupt?
Premolars 06, 07 and 08 present at birth no deciduous molars
06- 2.5 years
07- 3.5 years
08- 4 years
09- 1 year
10- 2 years
11- 3.5 years
What anatomical differences can be identified on different age of horses?
The infundibulum
Secondary dentine
Amount and presence depends on age
What are each of the arrows pointing too?
How do maxillary and mandibular cheek teeth differ?

Arrows-
Top left- enamel
Top right- peripheral cementum
Bottom left- primary dentine
Bottom right- irregular secondary dentine/regular secondary dentine
Maxillary CT- 2 infundibulae, wide ‘square’
Mandibular CT- no infundibulae, narrow ‘rectangular’
What are pulp horns?
How many does each cheek tooth have at least, which have more?
Pulp horns are an area of pigmented secondary dentine on the occlusal surface, protects underlying pulp
Every cheek tooth have at least 5
06s- have extra rostrally
11s- extra 1-2 caudally
How many roots do maxillary/mandibular cheek teeth have?
Where are the roots found?
What happens if the teeth become infected?
Maxillary- 3 roots- 2 lateral, 1 palatal
Mandibular- 2- rostral and caudal
06, 07- root end in maxillary bone
08, 09- rostral maxillary sinus
10, 11- caudal maxillary sinus
Teeth infection- facial swelling/draining tracts, malodorous smell/ nasal discharge
What is anisognathia?
Differing upper and lower jaw width
Maxillary cheek teeth are further apart then mandibular
What are some normal anatomical variations of horses dentistry?
Curvature of the maxilla- widest 08-10
Implications- tack, removing buccal overgrowths
Curve of spee- more prononced in Arabs, care removing caudal 11 overgrowths
What is needed for a equine dental examination?
Appropriate area
+/- sedation
Dental equipment
Gloves
recording sheets
+/- head stand
What should be done in an initial examination of a horse?
- Thorough history- recent weight loss, colic
- Watch horse eat- normal sounds, both sides, time
- Clinical exam- underlying disease, swellings, halitosis, nasal discharge
What dental equipment is needed for oral examination?
Gag
Light source
Dental mirror
Dental syringe
Pulpar explorer
Periodontal probe
Diastema forceps
Rasps- motorised tools
What should be checked for on an incisor then canines and wolf examination?
Incisors- without gag
- Check for abnormal masses/ fractured teeth
- Check occlusion from side and front
- Count the teeth
Canines- calculus, fractures, apical infection
Wolf- displacment, blindly erupted, mandibular wolf
When palpating cheek teeth during a oral examination how should it be done?
What are you feeling for?
- Occlusal surface of every tooth
- Edges of teeth- buccal maxillary, lingual mandibular
- Every inter-dental space
- Buccal mucosa
- Tongue adjacent to teeth
- Dental overgrowths- sharp points, soft tissue trauma
- Diastemata
- Dental fractures
- Displacment
- Supernumary teeth
When doing a visual oral examination what should be done?
Look- wihout mirror-
Count, overgrowths, soft tissue trauma, fractures
Look with mirror-
count again, all surfaces, interdigital spaces
Probe- pulp horns, assess depth of diastemata
What does oral endoscopy allow?
What is routine floating?
Better evaluation of occlusal surface, diastema and periodontium
Hand rasping- 3-4 hand rasps, full examinatino, sedation
What further diagnostic imaging can be used for equine dentistry?
Radiograph
Sinoscope
Computed tomography
Schintigraphy
MRI
What are the two equine dental paraprofessionals and what is the difference?
BAEDT- passed BEVA exam, CAT 1 and 2 procedures
Others- Attended a course but not examined- only CAT 1
What are CAT 1 procecures?
- Examinations
- Removal or sharp points with manual rasps
- Removal of small dental overgrowths- manual rasps
- Rostral profiling of first cheek teeth
- Removal of loose deciduous caps
- Removal of supragingival calculuc
What are CAT 2 procedures?
- Examinatino, evaluation and recording of dental abnormalities
- Removal of loose teeth/fragments- negligible periodontal attachments
- Removal of erupted, non-displaced wolf teeth under vet supervision
- Palliative rasping of fractures and adjacent teeth
- Motorised dental insturments to reduce overgrowths and sharp enamel points only
- Horses sedated unless safe without, consent from owner







