Equine Dental Care NZ
Equine Dental Care NZ is about providing a professional service that benefits the horses oral and over all health. Maintaining our equine oral health will improve the length of the horse's life and will also expand the life of the horses teeth. Pathology and predontal diseases can be one of the main reasons for poor condition and performance of the horse.
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The Equine Mouth
The horse has a total of 44 teeth, each tooth has a time frame that it develops and erupts and then at the other end starts to pit out and come to the end of the length of that tooth. Have you heard of the saying the horses life span is at long as its teeth? This is correct, the horse is born with only so much tooth and once its worn thats the end of the tooth. The life experiences of a horse in the wild is around 10-14 years and this does come down to genetics. Its survival of the fittest/strongest for the environment the horse lives in. So if a wild horse has dental abnormalities it could have a shorter life than one that has a normal mouth. If our horse in their domestic environment can live up to their 30's and I even trim a donkey that is 40 years old. This shows that with a little bit of human practices (like dental care, hoof care, and correct nutrition) the life span of the horse can be lengthen. |
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The horse's teeth belong to the Hypsodont family. Hypsodont family have teeth that continuously erupt and then are worn away by the apposing teeth . There are sustain parts of the teeth that don't come in contact with another tooth and over time these areas can become sharp and under worn. This unworn tooth can cause lacerations in the soft tissues, prevent correct chewing, cause pain and discomfort and if left unattended can lead to serious issues.
Another reason for under worn teeth can be because the teeth in the upper jaw, (maxilla) are 30% wider than the lower teeth in the lower jaw (mandible) this means that the outer edge of the upper teeth and the inner edge of the lower teeth get reduced wear compared to the rest of the arcade. This leads to the development of sharp points on Buccal and Lingual rims, which can cause lacerations and ulcerations on the cheeks and tongue.
The horses whole mouth needs to stay in balance for the horse to utilize its food, to gain the right nutrients for building and repairing cells, tissue and muscle. This balance is between incisors, premolars, molars, TMJs and surrounding muscles.
What are the signs that your horse needs to see an equine dentist?
Equine Dental Anatomy:
The mouth of a horse is just as unique as their feet. The equine mouth/dentition can be divided into 4 categories,
Incisors - main function is food preparation, by picking and sorting of food from the ground. The incisors are divided into three groups, which are Central, Middle and Corner incisors.
Canines - are used as a defense mechanism.
Premolars - main function is grinding of foods. There are four of them in each arcade. The first premolar is a bit different to the next three; it is commonly know as a wolf tooth. The wolf tooth has evolved to be a much smaller tooth and no longer has a purpose. Therefore they are often removed, as they are uncomfortable for the horse if the horse is ridden in a bit.
Molars – The molars main purpose is the grinding of the food to create a food bolus, that is then pushed further down the horse’s mouth and swallowed.
All premolars and molars have an important job of breaking down the cellulose structure of the food, so once swallowed the amino acids can be released
Another reason for under worn teeth can be because the teeth in the upper jaw, (maxilla) are 30% wider than the lower teeth in the lower jaw (mandible) this means that the outer edge of the upper teeth and the inner edge of the lower teeth get reduced wear compared to the rest of the arcade. This leads to the development of sharp points on Buccal and Lingual rims, which can cause lacerations and ulcerations on the cheeks and tongue.
The horses whole mouth needs to stay in balance for the horse to utilize its food, to gain the right nutrients for building and repairing cells, tissue and muscle. This balance is between incisors, premolars, molars, TMJs and surrounding muscles.
What are the signs that your horse needs to see an equine dentist?
- Lacking Muscle - especially over the top line
- Low Body Condition
- Dropping Food
- A very small appetite or an excessive appetite
- Head Tossing
- Resisting the bit
- Packing food in his/her cheeks - Quidding
Equine Dental Anatomy:
The mouth of a horse is just as unique as their feet. The equine mouth/dentition can be divided into 4 categories,
Incisors - main function is food preparation, by picking and sorting of food from the ground. The incisors are divided into three groups, which are Central, Middle and Corner incisors.
Canines - are used as a defense mechanism.
Premolars - main function is grinding of foods. There are four of them in each arcade. The first premolar is a bit different to the next three; it is commonly know as a wolf tooth. The wolf tooth has evolved to be a much smaller tooth and no longer has a purpose. Therefore they are often removed, as they are uncomfortable for the horse if the horse is ridden in a bit.
Molars – The molars main purpose is the grinding of the food to create a food bolus, that is then pushed further down the horse’s mouth and swallowed.
All premolars and molars have an important job of breaking down the cellulose structure of the food, so once swallowed the amino acids can be released
