Equine Dentistry 1

Question 1

What are hypsodont teeth?

Answer 1

*Long crowned
*Graze 18hrs/day
*Erupt 2mm/year

Question 2

What is the dental formula of deciduous equids?

Answer 2

I 3/3 C0/0 PM 3/3

Question 3

What is the permanent dental formula of horses?

Answer 3

I 3/3 C1/1 PM 3/3 (or 4/4) M 3/3

Question 4

How long does it take deciduous incisors to erupt?

Answer 4

*Central (01) = 1 week
* Middle (02) = 6 weeks
* Corner (03) = 6-9 months
(6 days, 6 weeks, 6 months)

Question 5

How long does it take permanent incisors to erupt?

Answer 5

*Central = erupt - 2.5 years + in wear @ 3years
*Middle = erupt - 3.5 years + in wear @ 4years
*Corner = erupt - 4.5 years + in wear @ 5years

Question 6

When does canines + wolf teeth erupt?

Answer 6

*Canine = 5 years mainly in males
*Wolf teeth = 1 year - many lost when deciduous 06 is lost

Question 7

When are deciduous pre molars erupted?

Answer 7

06, 07 + 08 present at birth

Question 8

When do permanent check teeth erupt?

Answer 8

06 = 2.5 yrs
07 = 3.5 yrs
08 = 4
09 = 1
10 = 2
11 = 3.5

Question 9

What cheek teeth are you most likely to have problems with?

Answer 9

09 as it has been there the longest

Question 10

Around what age is the dentine star first visible?

Answer 10

4 years old

Question 11

What is the different between maxillary + mandibular cheek teeth?

Answer 11

*Maxillary = 2 infundibulae + wide = square teeth
*Mandibular = no infundibulae + narrow = rectangular tooth

Question 12

What are pulp horns?

Answer 12

*Area of pigmented secondary dentine
*Protects underlying pulp

Question 13

Where are the roots of the maxillary cheek teeth?

Answer 13

*06+07 = maxillary bone
*08+09 = rostral maxillary sinus
*10+11 = caudal maxillary sinus

Question 14

Where are roots of the mandibular cheek teeth?

Answer 14

06->11 = mandible

Question 15

What cheek teeth are wider?

Answer 15

Maxillary cheek teeth 20/25% further apart

Question 16

In which horses is the curve of spee more pronounced?

Answer 16

Arabs

Question 17

What should be considered when doing dental examination?

Answer 17

*Routine vs cause for concern
*Safety
*Biosecurity
*Legal requirements + documentation

Question 18

What should be gathered to prepare for dental exam?

Answer 18

*Appropriate examination area
*Dental equipment
*Lighting
*Gloves
*Water
*Recording sheets
* +/- Sedation
* +/- head stand

Question 19

What are classed as basic dental equipment?

Answer 19

• Gag/Speculum
• Light source
• Dental mirror
• Dental Syringe
• Pulpar explorer
• Periodontal probe
• Diastema forceps
• Rasps
• +/- motorised tools

Question 20

What should be done on initial examination?

Answer 20

*Thorough history - weight loss? colic? duration
*Watch the horse eat - both sides / normal sounds
*Clinical exam - nasal discharge / halitosis

Question 21

What should be done with the incisor exam?

Answer 21

*Check for abnormal masses / fractures
*Check occlusion from side - over/underbite
*Check occlusion from front - slant/smile mouth, evidence of crib biting
*Check lateral excursion
*Count the teeth

Question 22

How would you examine canines + wolf teeth?

Answer 22

*Place speculum (Gag)
*Flush mouth
*Check canines if present - calculus? fractures? infection?
*Wolf teeth - loose/displaced/ blindly erupted

Question 23

What is the 4 step oral examination?

Answer 23

1. Palpate
2. Look without mirror
3. Look with mirror
4. Probe - every pulp horn

Question 24

When palpating what are you assessing for?

Answer 24

– Dental overgrowths
* Sharp points
* Hooks and ramps
* Excessive transverse ridges
* Steps
– Diastemata +/- food packing
– Dental fractures
– Displaced teeth
– Missing teeth
– Supernumerary teeth
– Associated soft tissue trauma

Question 25

What is oral endoscopy useful for?

Answer 25

*Better evaluation of occlusal surface
*Better evaluation of diastema + periodontum
*Recording of findings + showing owners

Question 26

What rasps are used for 106+206?

Answer 26

Backward facing rasp

Question 27

What rasp is used for caudal 311 + 411

Answer 27

Forward facing rasp

Question 28

What are classed as category 1 procedures? - can do with training + without qualification

Answer 28

• Examination of teeth
• Removal of sharp enamel points using manual rasps only
• Removal of small dental overgrowths (maximum 4mm reductions) using
  manual rasps only
• Rostral profiling of the first cheek teeth (maximum 4mm reductions),
  previously termed ‘bit seat shaping’
• Removal of loose deciduous caps
• Removal of supragingival calculus

Question 29

What are classed as category 2 procedures? need to pass DEFRA approved exam

Answer 29

• Examination, evaluation and recording of dental abnormalities
• Removal of loose teeth / fragments with negligible periodontal
  attachments
• The removal of erupted, non-displaced wolf teeth in the upper or
  lower jaw under direct and continuous veterinary supervision
• Palliative rasping of fractured and adjacent teeth
• Motorised dental instruments to reduce overgrowths and sharp
  enamel points only
• Horses should be sedated unless it is deemed safe to undertake any
  proposed procedure without sedation, with full informed consent of
  the owner

Question 30

What maxillary teeth problems is associated with facial swelling / draining tracts?

Answer 30

08 +09 (Teeth with root in rostral maxillary sinus)