Oral examinations should be carried out at least every 12 months. In patients with good oral health little or no work may be required. Regular dental inspections allow the early detection of oral diseases and subsequent early intervention to prevent progression. In patients with dental disease or oral abnormalities we will advise you if more frequent examinations are required.

In the normal mouth upper and lower teeth are aligned so that they wear the opposing teeth evenly. If teeth are not aligned correctly, for example in overshot or undershot mouths, or if a tooth is missing, the part of the tooth not being worn down as there is no tooth opposing it will become overgrown. In extreme cases the overgrowth may cut into the opposing jaw. Overgrown teeth are usually reduced in stages using a motorised burr.

It is important to note that there are ridges on the molar and premolar teeth (try and have a look the next time your horse has a dental examination). If these ridges are all the same size they are NOT overgrowths but normal anatomy and should be left. Individual ridges that are larger than the others can cause problems and may be reduced with a rasp/burr.

A diastema is a gap between the teeth. Equine teeth should be tightly packed together as this prevents food material becoming entrapped between the teeth. Sometimes small spaces occur which results in food getting wedged into the spaces between the teeth. Eventually it may become packed to gum level and lead to periodontal disease. This is an extremely painful condition and can have severe effects on the horse’s welfare (and performance for athletic animals). Treatment is usually through clearing the space of food and then either filling or widening/grooving of the space with a specialised burr. Food is then less likely to get trapped between the teeth and allows the gum to heal.  

Dental extractions are performed under standing sedation and local anaesthetic. This removes the risk of general anaesthesia. Many horses go through life without requiring extractions, but when extractions are needed reasons include dental infections, displacements and fractures. As the horse ages the tooth erupts and the length of tooth attached to the gum shortens. In some very old horses and ponies there is insufficient tooth attached to the gum to hold it firmly in place, in which case it may be more comfortable for the tooth to be extracted. 

We have a range of instruments for extractions, including minimally invasive repulsion and minimally invasive transbuccal extraction for more complicated cases.  

Caries are areas of dental decay. In equines there is a structure in the upper teeth called the infundibulum and is an area in which caries may develop. If infundibular caries become advanced the tooth becomes weakened and is more prone to fracturing. In some cases, repairing the infundibulum with a composite material that wears at the same rate as the tooth greatly decreases the risk of the tooth fracturing.

In 2023 we invested in the training and equipment required for managing infundibular caries. It is now a routine part of the equine dental services we provide.

Our oral endoscope is a camera that allows detailed examination of the oral cavity. Small defects, such as signs of disease in the pulp cavities, may be easier to see with the magnification and access provided with the endoscope. It is routinely used when doing infundibular restorations and certain other dental procedures.

A yearly dental inspection is the recommended minimum. For those animals that have underlying dental disease more regular treatment may be needed

It is vital to remember that sometimes there are no signs despite advanced dental disease, hence the need for routine examinations. For those cases that do show outward signs of disease, dropping balls of half-chewed food (known as “quidding”) is the most common. Sometimes patients may appear slow to chew or roll food around the mouth and make slurping noises when eating before they start to drop food. Halitosis from either the mouth or nose can also be associated with dental disease. In more severe cases swellings on the jaw or side of the face and nasal discharge may be apparent. Dental disease can lead to weight loss, but it is generally only with severe oral abnormalities that this occurs.

In some cases oral pain can lead to reduced performance or a duller than usual demeanour.

It is impossible to carry out an oral examination without using a gag to hold the mouth open. Some horses and ponies tolerate the gag well but others aren’t as relaxed about it. For those that find it more stressful we use sedation for the horse’s welfare and safety and so that a thorough examination can be completed. For patients that need longer dental procedures or the use of motorised equipment we nearly always use sedation. Modern sedatives are effective and safe. Their use greatly enhances the precision of dental work and reduces stress for the horse.