Dentistry:
Equine dentistry is an important aspect of equine health. Horses’ teeth are unique in that they continually erupt throughout their lifetime. Horses can have a multitude of problems with their oral cavity if not properly maintained throughout their years.
We recommend all horses have a dental exam at least once a year. Southern Equine Service offers a variety of dental services. We have both hand floats and power floats. A thorough sedated oral examination with a speculum is performed on the horse so we can observe all the teeth. We then carefully float the teeth so that the sharp points are reduced and the arcade is balanced.
Some common dental problems that can be found in the horse are sharp buccal (cheek side) and lingual (tongue side) points, waves (unevenness seen with premolars and molars from front and back), ramps (overgrowth of molars of the lower arcade), hooks (overgrowth of premolars in the upper and lower arcade), or fractured crowns that may be caused by different confirmations of the oral cavity. Proper routine dental care can correct these problems and keep the horses mouth balanced.
Young horses also need routine dental care as many have caps (baby teeth) that may need to be removed and wolf teeth that can interfere with the bit and be uncomfortable.
A horse suffering from dental issues may have weight loss/poor body condition, difficulty chewing, pain, or head tossing while being ridden.
Services:
Sedated oral examination with speculum
Hand or power floating
Dental radiography (x-rays)
Incisor, Premolar, Molar Extractions
Sinus Trephination