Power Dentistry with Mouth Speculum
Equine Dentistry
Equine Dentistry is a growing field in equine veterinary medicine. Horses have what is known as hypsodont teeth. Hypsodont teeth continuously grow and in a natural setting would be worn down by components of grasses while horses are grazing. As horses have become domesticated, management practices have changed and few horses are exposed to as much pasture. With abnormal wear, horses can develop changes in their teeth that can cause pain and discomfort when eating and being ridden. Signs of dental problems can include weight loss, bitting issues and dropping grain. All dentals performed by our veterinarians involve the use of an oral speculum. Without an oral speculum to open the mouth, proper visualization of the molars cannot occur. A majority of the problems in a horses’ mouth come from the molars and premolars, therefore the use of the speculum is extremely important.
All of our doctors are trained in the use of power dental equipment, which provides the best care for your horse, however each doctor also has a complete set of hand floats which can be used at the owners request.
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