Equine Science Dentistry

Question 0

Four key changes in the teeth can be used to estimate the age of horses

Answer 0

1. Occurrence of permanent teeth
2. Disappearance of cups
3. Angle of incidence
4. Shape of the surface of the teeth

Question 1

Age determination is made by a study of the…

Answer 1

12 front teeth called incisors
Two central pairs above and below (centrals, pincers or nippers)
Four teeth adjacent to these two pairs are called intermediates
Outer four teeth are corners

Question 2

Cups

Answer 2

In the center of their surfaces, young permanent teeth have deep indentures called this.
Appears early

Question 3

Angle of incidence

Answer 3

This is the angle formed by the meeting of the upper and lower incisor teeth.
Until 8 yrs old its 180 degrees
By 25 yrs old its 90 degrees

Question 4

Shape of teeth

Answer 4

Teeth start out oval and become flat 
5yrs- flattened
9yrs- oval
15 yrs- round
20 yrs- triangle

Question 5

Several factors that influence the wear and appearance of teeth include

Answer 5

Biting cribbing and floating (check with book)

Question 6

Parrot mouth

Answer 6

Result of the upper and lower incisors not meeting because the lower jaw is too short

Question 7

Monkey mouth

Answer 7

Opposite of parrot mouth

Question 8

Cribbing

Answer 8

Habit common to stabled horses that damages incisors by chipping or breaking them

Question 9

Floating

Answer 9

Deals with hooks, points, ramps (Ski slopes) , waves, steps (one tooth taller)

Question 10

Points

Answer 10

are sharp tooth projections on the inside of the lower jaw and on the outside of the upper jaw near the cheek from normal dental wear

Question 11

Hooks

Answer 11

Are sharp projections on the front of the upper row of jaw “grinding teeth” or on the back of the bottom row of jaw “grinding teeth”

Question 12

Ramp

Answer 12

Sloping surface that can have sharp surfaces on the premolars/molars of the jaw

Question 13

Points hooks and Ramps can all cause

Answer 13

Tongue or cheek injury

Question 14

Hypsodont

Answer 14

Pattern of dentition has high crowns and the enamel extends past the gum line, providing extra material for wear and tear.

Question 15

Horses teeth are continually…

Answer 15

Growing and erupting. Horses chew in a circular motion, with the lower jaw moving moving in a circular motion to grind the food because it is more narrow than the upper jaw. Over time this wears down their teeth.

Question 16

Incisors

Answer 16

12

Used for biting off food

Question 17

Premolars

Answer 17

12 (up to 16 if they have wolf teeth)

Chewing and breaking down food

Question 18

Molars

Answer 18

12

Question 19

Canines

Answer 19

2-4

Question 20

Occlusal table angle

Answer 20

Angle at which the incisors meet

11-18 degrees

Question 21

Material of teeth

Answer 21

Pulp: this is the soft material where the nerves and blood supply are
Dentin: this is the hard yellow and white material that makes up most of the tooth
Enamel: the hard white material that covers dentin and the outer tooth
Cement: what holds the tooth in the horses jaw (both dentin and cement are worn down more quickly than enamel)

Question 22

Dental star

Answer 22

Appear after a cup and is located closer to the lip

Question 23

Tooth problems

Answer 23

• Sinusitis/ tooth root infection (impacted adult teeth
• extra teeth
• missing teeth (normally this is because the tooth has been broken, removed, or fell out)
• mal-eruption (teeth come in crooked, etc)
• genetics (overbite, called parrot mouth; underbite, called monkey mouth or sow mouth)
• hooks and points
• cheek ulcerations
• caps (baby teeth that are stuck or have been retained)

Question 24

Signs that something is wrong with a horses teeth

Answer 24

``` Weight loss Nasal discharge Malodorous breath Facial swelling Dropping feed ```

Question 25

Pulling

Answer 25

For teeth that are broken or for extra teeth | Be careful not to take to much

Question 26

Deciduous teeth

Answer 26

Baby teeth

Question 27

Aging by wear

Answer 27

``` Cups: 6yrs: lose central cups 7yrs: lose intermediate cups 8yrs: lose corner cups Dental star 8yrs: appear on central 9yrs: appear on intermediate 10yrs: appear on corner Galvayne's groove 10 yrs: starts 15yrs: halfway down 20yrs: complete 25 yrs: halfway gone 30yrs: gone ```