Virginia Horse Dentist

Definitions to Commonly Used Dental Terms

Different Types of Teeth

Incisors: "Front Teeth", used to nip or cut.
Premolars and Molars: "Cheek Teeth", used to grind and chew.
Canines: "Fighting Teeth", usually found only in geldings or stallions, however, they are sometimes seen in mares. These are the teeth that sit behind the incisors, often mistaken by owner for the wolf teeth.
Wolf Teeth: "First premolar", usually found right before the first grinding tooth. Looks like a little fang and interferes with bitting. These teeth can be present in the upper and lower jaw and cause pain and discomfort when the horse is ridden with the bit. They are best removed before the horse is two (as the root is less developed) but they can be removed at any age.
Blind Wolf Teeth: Wolf Teeth that have not erupted through the gum line. These teeth, depending on their location, can cause extreme discomfort while the horse is ridden with the bit. These teeth can be found by a veterinarian or dental technician by palpating (feeling) the gum tissue. They are often removed.
Deciduous teeth: A technical term for baby teeth. A good way to remember this is to think about a deciduous tree shedding its leaves and a deciduous tooth shedding to make room for the permanent tooth. Horses have a set of deciduous premolars and incisors. All the other teeth come in as permanent teeth.

Malocclusions
A term for problems with the horses "bite." Listed below are specific types of malocclusions.

Ventral Curvature: Incisors that resemble a smiley face.
Dorsal Curvature: Incisors that resemble a frown.
Wave mouth: Cheek teeth that are wavy rather that flat, wave incisors are the same thing only refer to the incisors.
Step teeth: Teeth that are significantly taller than the other teeth, and stick out like a step.
Over long incisors: Quite simply incisors that are too long. This is caused by lack of wear from eating hay rather than grazing. When the horse's incisors are too long he cannot chew effectively with his cheek teeth, this also puts stress on the temporomandibular joint. Which can lead to TMJ syndrome.
Parrot Mouth: This is a layman's term for a severe over bite, known as inferior brachygnathism.
Monkey Mouth: This is a layman's term for a severe under bite, known as inferior prognathism.

An example of "monkey mouth"

Photo provided by Traveller's Rest Equine Elder's Sanctuary

http://www.equineelders.org

The Triadan System

More to come!

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IF YOU HAVE AN EMERGENCY WITH YOUR HORSE PLEASE CALL YOUR LOCAL LARGE ANIMAL OR EQUINE VETERINARIAN, IF THE EMERGENCY IS DENTAL RELATED AND YOU ARE LOCAL, YOU MUST STILL CALL YOUR VETERINARIAN FIRST AND THEN CONTACT MEREDITH, SHE IS NOT A VETERINARIAN AND WILL ONLY TELL YOU TO CALL ONE.