 Equine Wellness The Forefront of Equine Dentistry If you’ve followed the articles in this magazine, I can guarantee you that you know more about your horse’s teeth and dental needs than 95% of the horse owners out there who think they do. There is yet another important level of equine dentistry that we will discuss that has evolved in the last several years for a few dental practitioners with an insatiable curiosity and concern for a horse’s welfare. Periodontics and restorations… saving teeth. Periodontics is the branch of dentistry that cares for the health of the tissues and ligaments that surround and support the tooth. In an imbalanced mouth, where one or more teeth are higher than the surrounding teeth, the normal grinding motion of the chewing process is restricted. High teeth will be subjected to lateral pressure, forcing the supporting tissue to gap and ultimately creating a sight where feed can start to collect and pack. As this process continues, the decaying feed erodes and further compromises the ligaments holding the tooth in place and ultimately can involve the alveolar bone. Perhaps you have even smelled a foul odor coming from your horse’s mouth? That is the scent of decaying feed. The outcome of this condition depends on when it is discovered. Early stages of gingivitis, some gapping of the gums and collection of feed, can be arrested with a thorough dental balancing and a good periodontal cleaning. Above all, the mouth needs to be balanced. The high teeth must be reduced to allow the chewing stroke to move freely without causing any lateral pressure on any of the teeth. Secondly, the infected and gapping gums need to be cleaned out thoroughly and medicated. We have a special high pressure unit that is designed for this need and does an excellent job. Depending on the severity of the periodontal involvement, after the dental balancing, one or two treatments is often all that is needed to return the gum to normal health. For many reasons, dental imbalances will reoccur, so I can not stress enough the need to keep the mouth correctly balanced to prevent periodontal disease and the resulting tooth loss. For most horses, once the initial condition is corrected, an annual equilibration will suffice. Another condition that we find occasionally in our examinations is the presence of dental decay. We never used to consider this a possibility, probably because the rationale of “out of sight, out of mind” told us decay wasn’t there. But it is. Where do we find decay? Often we find decay in the infundibulum, which is the enamel column in the center of the premolars and molars. Occasionally, that area is incompletely filled with dentin during the development of the tooth. It is not uncommon for the acids formed during the bacterial fermentation of food particles to cause decay of the dentin and erosion of the exposed enamel. A dental mirror is needed to identify this condition and the pick is used to determine the depth of the decay. Complications of progressive tooth decay such as a sagital fracture (fracturing the side off of a tooth), pulp exposure, and periodontal disease may result in loss of teeth. These conditions often go unidentified and can be acutely painful to the horse. Decay starts on the occlusal (chewing) surface of the tooth and eventually destroys and hollows out the core of the crown. Side to side chewing motions over this weakened crown can result in a longitudinal fracture that often extends into the root structure. Tooth loss occurs as well as possible sinus infection. Discoloration of a tooth may indicate decay lurking beneath. Often this occurs on an incisor, probably because the front teeth are easy targets for another horse’s hoof. ** INSERT PICTURE OF SAGITAL FRACTURE** We repair teeth with composite fillings cured with an ultraviolet light in the same manner as a dentist repairs your teeth. The composite filling is strong enough to withstand the grinding forces generated by the horse and will wear at the same rate as the surrounding teeth. The restored tooth will continue to erupt normally to the point that after several years the evidence of a filling will be gone and the horse will have a healthy tooth. If a tooth is lost, the resulting space will allow remaining teeth to migrate and the opposing tooth (to the space) to erupt unheeded. The whole grinding motion will be affected as the unopposed tooth’s extra length will “hang up” as the horse chews and will adversely affect the efficiency of the mastication process. **INSERT PICTURES OF MOLAR FILLED** Complete and thorough oral care is one of the most important but least recognized aspects of a total horse health program. Mouth problems can go undiagnosed and untreated for years, as many horse owners make decisions about their horse’s condition and care simply by what they see on the outside of the animal. Though your horse may not appear to need dental attention, only a very small percentage of animals actually don’t. Undeniably, a horse’s comfort and longevity depends in large part on the condition of his teeth. He depends on you to provide that care for him. **INSERT PICTURE OF HORSE SMILING** Copyright © 2008 The NW Horse Source |