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Q. How often should my horse have his teeth floated?
A. How often your horse needs his teeth floated will depend on several variables. One factor is age. If your horse is under 10 years old his teeth are erupting faster than that of an older horse. He may need his teeth floated as often as every six months. A horse older than 10 will probably be fine on a yearly program.
Another factor is level of work. A pleasure or a pasture horse, may do well on a 6-12 month schedule where as a performance horse will greatly benefit from a 3-6 months schedule.
There are many other factors that come into play. The best way to determine if your horse needs dental care is to schedule an appointment with your local dental technician or dental veterinarian. They can then tailor a program for each individual horse. You wouldn't wait until your horse was lame to schedule a farrier visit, so don't wait until your horse is dropping grain to call in a dental tech.
Schedule:
Birth: To check for any congenital defects.
Under 10: Every 6 months, beginning at 6 months old.
Over 10: Yearly.
Performance Horses: 3-6 months.
Seniors: Check ups every 3-6 months, however actual floating is done yearly in most cases.
A. The term floating usually refers to the removal of sharp points from the horse's cheek teeth. The horse's maxilla is wider than it's mandible, thus the outer edge of the upper teeth have nothing to occlude with and like wise for the inner edge of the lower teeth. This is what allows these points to form, like uneven wear on a tire tread. This is just basic floating, the term can however, be broadened to refer to complete-mouth care. This means all the horse's dental needs are addressed. A horse's dental needs may include, rounding of the canines, incisor reduction, wave reduction, treatment of the gums for periodontal disease, evaluation of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) etc.A good dental technician or veterinarian will evaluate each horse's individual needs and then treat accordingly. Floating may be done using hand floats, or using specially designed power tools. Both are great options to keeping the horses mouth healthy and comfortable.
Q. What are bit seats, and why are they important to my performance horse?A. A bit seat is created by rounding the first set of cheek teeth right where the bit sits any time we ask the horse to collect, turn, stop, or do anything that involves contact. A bit seat makes certain that the horse cannot get his cheek caught in between the bit and his teeth, and also ensures he cannot chew on it. This allows the rider control and takes away the horse’s excuse to act up. A performance float can drastically improve a horse in the show ring and at home.
Q. Do all horses need their teeth floated?A. YES! All horses need regular dental care, in addition to their regular veterinary and farrier visits. Even a horse in good body condition should have his mouth evaluated. Horses do not always show pain the way humans do, and an easy keeper may keep weight just fine, even though his mouth is causing him discomfort. A horse that is not able to chew properly is also at risk for colic, TMJ sydrome, weight loss, and many other serious health risks. See the chart on this page to find out how often your horse should see a dental technician or veterinarian.
Q. Does my horse need to be sedated to have his teeth floated?A. That is entirely up to your horse and the person floating his teeth! Some horses will stand for a complete power float without sedation. Some horses won't let your put the speculum in their mouth with out proper sedation. Some veterinarians and technicians choose to sedate every animal they work on, where as some do every horse with out. I personally evaluate every animal's need before making the decision to consult a veterinarian regarding sedation. That brings up another point. Only a licensed veterinarian can prescribe sedation, and sedation may only be used by the owner to which it was prescribed, for his or her horses. If an animal needs to be sedated for a dental procedure a veterinarian must be consulted. Laws vary from state to state regarding exact procedures.
I have noticed a pretty reliable trend regarding a horse's need for sedation. Horses that have been properly floated with in the last 12 months- and have little or no lacerations to their cheeks, are very cooperative about the process. Horses who have lacerations on their cheeks do not tend to allow their mouths to be worked on with out sedation, which also provides pain control. Its important to remember that even a very well behaved horse will move away from pain. So for this reason if you horse has not been floated with in the last year, please plan to have the veterinarian either be present or have sedation on hand.
Q. What is the difference between wolf teeth and canines?A. Wolf teeth are the horse's "first premolar," however they are not big rectangular teeth like the other premolars, but little fang like teeth. They are located just before the first cheek tooth, and can cause severe pain for the horse when riding with a bit. A horse can have both uppers and lowers, but the most commonly seen are uppers. These teeth are best removed before the horse is two, as the root is less developed, but they can be removed at any age.
Canines are the male's fighting teeth. They are located in the interdental space between the cheek teeth and the incisors. Males usually have uppers and lowers, however, these teeth are usually not present in females. Canines can become very sharp and dangerous if left unattended, so a dental technician or veterinarian must file them down regularly. These teeth are not usually removed unless the tooth is diseased as their root is quite long and is a difficult shape to extract.
Q. How do I find someone qualified to float my horse's teeth?
A. Here are three questions to ask a potential equine dental professional:
Do you use a speculum? The answer should be yes. A speculum is a device used to hold the horse's mouth opened for dental procedures and exams. If a speculum is not used it is not possible to do a proper exam nor is it possible to complete procedures. A speculum also allows the practioner to palpate the teeth to check not only for malocclusions and sharp points but also for any diseased teeth.Q. What is the difference between an Equine Dental Technician, and an Equine Dentist?
A. These two terms are often used interchangably; many people believe this is incorrect, and many believe its silly to get into such semantics over a title. An equine dental technician is a lay person with special training in the field of equine dentistry. Many people believe that only a doctor (ie a dvm, or a dds) should use the term dentist. The most important thing is to make sure who ever is working on your horse is trained to do so, and if sedation is need make sure it is a veterinarian doing so.
Q. Do other equines, like donkeys and mules need their teeth floated?
A. Yes! Donkeys and mules need regular care just like horses. No exceptions.Q. What is the cost of having my horse's teeth floated?
A. The cost of having your horses teeth floated will usually depend on the amount of work that needs to be done. This depends on the frequency your horse is floated, his age, his mouth's conformation, and many other factors. Equidentistry's basic price list is as follows and is subject to change. First time visits usually average 100-150 (including farm call) and go down after that.Last revised: 08/01/08
If you have a question that has not been listed here, please use the for on the "Contact Us" page to send me an email. Or send me an email directly at barlow@equidentistry.com