Routine dental procedures

Question 1

What does hypsodont mean?

Answer 1

‘high crowned teeth’

Question 2

Eruption of horses teeth

Answer 2

• Constantly erupting
• 2-5mm eruption/yr
• Faster in younger horses vs old horses
• Disparity in eruption vs wear -> dental disease

Question 3

Where are the upper 08-11 teeth?

Answer 3

• In the maxillary sinuses
• 08/09 rostral maxillary
• 10/11 caudal maxillary

Question 4

Buccal/labial

Answer 4

• describes the cheek or tongue side of the arcade or tooth

Question 5

Occlusal/apical

Answer 5

• the biting surface or tip of the root of each tooth

Question 6

Mesial/distal

Answer 6

• towards or away from the midline in a dental arch

Question 7

Interdental

Answer 7

• the space between the incisors and premolars in which the canines and wolf teeth lie

Question 8

Diastema

Answer 8

• space or gap between two teeth, controversy over the use in non-
  pathological cases

Question 9

Ageing

Answer 9

• Largely inaccurate – especially older horses
• Eruption times most accurate method
  – Full set of incisors by ~5y
• Shape of corner incisor
  – <10y wider than long
  – ~ 10y square
  – >10y longer than wide
• Dental star
• Infundibulum/mark disappearance
• Galvaynes groove
  – If takes up the whole length of the hoof = 10-15y
• ‘Hook’ on corner incisors
• Shape of occlusal surface – oval à triangular

Question 10

Dental Examination

Answer 10

• Dental work history
• Previous dental problems
• Feeding habits – quidding, salivation?
• Bitting/riding problems – head shaking?

Question 11

Full clinical exam

Answer 11

• Body condition – weight loss?
• Concurrent disease
• Visual and manual exam of head
  – Including palpation of submandibular LNs
• Asymmetry, swellings, halitosis, nasal discharge

Question 12

Routine dental float/rasp

Answer 12

• Selection of dental rasps
• Sharp tungsten carbide blades
• Open, straight and closed angle – access every tooth
• Picks and probes
• Bucket with antiseptic solution
• Full mouth speculum
• Lightsource
• Mirror
• Restraint/headrest
• Sedation
• Stocks

Question 13

Dental Techniques

Answer 13

• Reduce sharp enamel points
• Reduce dominant/overgrown teeth
• Extract wolf teeth
• Radiographs
• Tooth extraction
• Sinus flushing/sinus flaps

Question 14

Why do sharp enamel points occur? Where do they normally occur?

Answer 14

Sharp enamel points most common finding

Occur due to:
* Anisognathic anatomy
* Continual eruption of teeth
* Eruption rate exceeding wear (diet)

Normally:
- Buccal aspect maxillary teeth
- Lingual aspect mandibular teeth

Look for ulcers - secondary to SEPs

Question 15

Overgrowths

Answer 15

• Teeth normally in pairs – upper and lower
  oppose each other
• If one half of the pair is missing/damaged/displaced then remaining tooth becomes dominant

Question 16

Wolf teeth

Answer 16

• 1st PM
• Don’t always require removal
• Upper wolf teeth shouldn’t interfere with bit if normally positioned (i.e. tucked next to upper 6’s)

Question 17

Remove wolf teeth if

Answer 17

• Large
• Unerupted (blind)
• Abnormally positioned
• Lower
• Fractured/loose
• One side only??

Question 18

What is quidding?

Answer 18

= Dropping feed

Question 19

Angle of dental rasps for each part of the dental workup/rasping

Answer 19

• Open angle for upper 6,7,8 because of curve of arcade.
• Straight for 8,9.
• Closed for 10,11s for curve of upper arcade.