Teeth And Oral Cavity System And Diseases In Horses
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Topics
*An Introduction To Horse Teeth And Oral Cavity System And Diseases
This subject is divided into sections organized by teeth (incisors, cheek teeth, canines), the oral cavity and the skull pertaining to the teeth. There is also the aging project where I took about 8 to 10 horses with documented ages in groups from 3 years to 30+ years (about 225 horses). I photographed the incisors from both sides, from the front and from the open mouth onto the lower occlusal surfaces (about 900 photos). These are grouped into views from all ages and also into ages with each view per age group. Interesting results were seen but basically I now only age horses by their teeth into 4 groups: young, young adult, adult and senior. Being any more accurate than this is not feasible though you can be close.
Canine Calculus
Calculus is the accumulation of saliva and food debris that hardens and forms a crust on a tooth. Here it is formed on the canines of some male horses.
Canine Debris
Calculus on canines are usually uniform, but in some horses, more feed becomes entrapped in the crusty material.
Canine Decay And EOTRH
Canines in some older horses lose their integrity and decay. This is often associated with EOTRH but can also be from trauma.
Canine Fractures
These teeth of male horses sometimes are placed against something harder, such as a steel stall bar. The result is fracture of the canine.
Canines – Unusual Findings
Canines – Unusual Findings In Horses
Canines In Female Horses
Canines are found in almost every male horse (stallions and geldings) but are rare in female horses.
Canines Just Erupting
Canine teeth of male horses (and occasionally females) can erupt anytime, but most commonly from before birth to 3 years of age.
Cheek Teeth Calculus
Some horses accumulate saliva and feed in the sides of their cheeks that turns to hard calculus on the cheek sides of the first 1 to 3 cheek teeth.
Cheek Teeth Cap Fractures
Cheek Teeth Cap Fractures In Horses
Cheek Teeth Cap Remnants
Deciduous teeth (“Caps”) of young horses attach themselves to the underlying permanent tooth with tips of tooth. These often break off and remain between the permanent tooth and the gum like a kernel of pop corn stuck between your tooth and gum.
Cheek Teeth Caps
The 12 premolar cheek teeth have precursor deciduous teeth (caps). The 12 molar cheek teeth do not have deciduous teeth.
Cheek Teeth Displaced
Cheek teeth when not aligned with the rest of the teeth in the arcade are called displaced.
Cheek Teeth End Stage
Cheek teeth have a finite lifespan and when they run out of reserve crown, there is nothing left to hold them in. These are end stage teeth.
Cheek Teeth Eruption Bumps
When the permanent premolar cheek teeth push into position, they often cause lumps that appear on the face and lower jaw. These are normal and are not painful.
Cheek Teeth Extractions
On occasion, the cheek teeth of horses need to be extracted, though in my practice, it is extremely rare.
Cheek Teeth Foreign Objects
Foreign objects are usually organic (hay and other feed) that get stuck between the cheek teeth when an unusual gap exists.
Cheek Teeth Fractures
Cheek teeth fractures are very common and are usually non-events in the horse’s life.
Cheek Teeth Hooks
Hooks are the over-eruption of a tooth and are seen when there is no opposition in chewing.
Cheek Teeth Waves
An uneven occlusal surface along the arcade of cheek teeth is commonly called a wave. Some feel that the unevenness needs to be leveled however in my experience, it does not.
Chewing Motion
The chewing motion is unique to each horse and is affected by oral pain.
Cleft Palate And Wry Nose
Excerpt coming soon.
Cribbing Rings
Cribbing Rings In Horses
Dental Speculum Injury
The use of the speculum is common in equine dentistry. There are reports of damage to the horse caused by them and this is one of those cases.
Flabby Cheeks Of The Oral Cavity
Flabby Cheeks is the description of excessive tissue that lays in front of the first lower cheek teeth of horses. It is one of the three major reasons for bit difficulties and bit rejection as well as one of the primary causes of difficult floating in horses.
Foreign Objects In The Oral Cavity
Anything can get stuck in the mouth – and when you have no fingers…..
Incisor Abnormalities
Incisors are the nipper teeth and anything that is not normal is easily seen.
Incisor Absence
The nipper teeth can be missing from 1) never being there, 2) the cap is gone and the permanent tooth has not erupted yet, 3) trauma, and 4) extraction.
Incisor Calculus
Accumulation of saliva with feed is very common on the canines but not that common on incisors.
Incisor Cap Extractions
Some deciduous incisors hang on longer than they should.
Incisor Cap Remnants
Some deciduous incisors leave remnants between the gum and the permanent incisor.
Incisor Caps
All incisors have a precursor deciduous tooth that is displaced and ejected by the erupting permanent tooth below it.
Incisor Damage
Damage is common to the incisors because one of the primary purposes of these teeth is defense.
Incisor Decay And EOTRH
Incisors usually do not decay except after trauma or if EOTRH is affecting the horse.
Incisor Extractions
Incisor Extractions In Horses
Incisor Fractures
Incisor Fractures In Horses
Incisor Hooks
Incisor Hooks In Horses
Incisor Relaxed Space
When a horse is relaxed, their incisors are kept apart as seen in these photos. On average a horse chews 25,000 times a day. If each chew takes 1 second, then all the teeth are kept out of occlusion 71% of the day.
Incisor Supernumerary Teeth
Supernumerary incisors means there are more incisor teeth than should be there (more than 12 permanent incisors).
Incisor Trauma
These picture show trauma of an incisor from about 2 years earlier and the removal of the damaged tooth.
Incisor Tumors
This was thought to be a benign tumor (abnormal growth) of an incisor. It was extracted and shown to be a deciduous incisor that was malformed (the definition of a tumor).
Incisor Wear
The primary wearing factor of the incisors, including length and pattern of wear, is the movement of the tongue over the occlusal surfaces. This is called stropping.
Large Canines
Canines are used as weapons and some horses have very big canines.
Neoplasia In The Oral Cavity
Hyperplasia means more growth than is norma.
Oral Cavity Abscess
Oral Cavity Abscess In Horses
Oral Cavity Growths
On occasion, a growth occurs within the mouth that is benign and just a passing observation. Rarely do they affect the horse unlest they enlarge and cause either pain or restrict the chewing movement.
Oral Cavity Trauma
Whenever trauma occurs inside the mouth of the horse, the reaction from the horse can be anywhere from nothing at all to drooling and an inability to chew.
Overbite
Overbite In Horses
Parrot Mouth
Parrot mouth only affects the relationship of the incisors to each other where the upper incisors are more forward than the lower incisors and completely miss on occlusion. The cheek teeth are not affected.
Puffy Cheeks
Puffy Cheeks In Horses
Quidding
Quidding In Horses
Signs Of Sharp Dental Points
Signs Of Sharp Dental Points In Horses
Sow Mouth
Sow mouth only affects the relationship of the incisors to each other where the lower incisors are more forward than the upper incisors and completely miss on occlusion. The cheek teeth are not affected.
The Palate
The palate is the tissue dividing the mouth from the airway above it. It is divided into the hard and soft portions.
The Tongue
The Tongue Of The Horse
TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint)
TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint) In Horses
Underbite
Underbite In Horses
Vesicular Stomatitis
go down to related material Topic There is no topic material. Related Material Images, if any, for this topic are in a gallery located at the bottom of this page. Back To Horse Systems and Diseases Topics Back To Teeth and Oral Cavity System and Diseases...
Wolf Teeth Blind
When a wolf tooth in a horse doesn’t erupt through the gum, it is called a blind wolf tooth.
Wolf Teeth Extractions
Wolf teeth are the vestigial teeth that lie in front of the first upper (and rarely the lower) cheek teeth.
Posts
Incisors – A Question From An Owner
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Pull The Tooth!
Please read this first -This post has received a lot of comments. Before you post your question, please read all of the comments at the end to determine if it has already been asked. Remember, I cannot give you direct advice….. see disclaimer. This week a horse...
Speechless In A Case Of EOTRH In A Horse
(This blog’s header photo is of a horse that is moderately affected with EOTRH) Every once in a while I become lost for words. My mind becomes numb and my jaw freezes. My eyelids slowly sweep moisture across my eyeballs as I try to bring things into focus. My...
The Trouble With Dentistry As Seen By A Human Doctor
I came across an article on Dr Joseph Mercola’s website. He is a functional medical physician who is prolific in content helping humans understand their health. I discovered him when listening to many podcasts as I search for information that will help our horses...
What Is The Cause Of EOTRH In Horses?
After the 2017 meeting of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) featuring Dr Paddy Dixon, the world’s leading expert on dentistry in horses, the cause of EOTRH in horses is still unknown. But I have an idea that merits this blog. Equine Odontoclastic...
Who Knocked Out My Front Tooth?
The day after Memorial Day. I hope we all paused a moment yesterday to thank our soldiers for their service, commitment, and even their loss of life for our freedoms. If you didn’t, go ahead and thank them now. Then again tomorrow…… Mel and I were in Wellington, FL...
Podcasts
Cavities In Horse Teeth And More – Podcast #047
I go over some of the recent articles showing up in the magazines and news feeds for horse owners discussing 1) cavities in the cheek teeth of horses and 2) the inhalation of tooth dust from motorized dentistry tools. I read the lay article and then look at the...
The TMJ Of Horses – Podcast #034
The temporomandibular joints connect the jaw (mandible) to the skull. It is the most active joint in the body of the horse moving on average 25,000 times per day – or 9 million chews per year. It has evolved over the evolution of the horse to be a very sturdy...
Webinars
Top 10 Things To Know Inside Your Horse’s Mouth – HorseTalk Webinar
Tarter encrusted foreign object on the base of the tongue. The piece of tarter was the size of a guitar pick and just as thin. Discussion: Here are ten things you should know inside the mouth: 1) Horses chew a lot Chew 25,000 times per day on average Chewing causes...
Topics
*An Introduction To Horse Teeth And Oral Cavity System And Diseases
This subject is divided into sections organized by teeth (incisors, cheek teeth, canines), the oral cavity and the skull pertaining to the teeth. There is also the aging project where I took about 8 to 10 horses with documented ages in groups from 3 years to 30+ years (about 225 horses). I photographed the incisors from both sides, from the front and from the open mouth onto the lower occlusal surfaces (about 900 photos). These are grouped into views from all ages and also into ages with each view per age group. Interesting results were seen but basically I now only age horses by their teeth into 4 groups: young, young adult, adult and senior. Being any more accurate than this is not feasible though you can be close.
Canine Calculus
Calculus is the accumulation of saliva and food debris that hardens and forms a crust on a tooth. Here it is formed on the canines of some male horses.
Canine Debris
Calculus on canines are usually uniform, but in some horses, more feed becomes entrapped in the crusty material.
Canine Decay And EOTRH
Canines in some older horses lose their integrity and decay. This is often associated with EOTRH but can also be from trauma.
Canine Fractures
These teeth of male horses sometimes are placed against something harder, such as a steel stall bar. The result is fracture of the canine.
Canines – Unusual Findings
Canines – Unusual Findings In Horses
Canines In Female Horses
Canines are found in almost every male horse (stallions and geldings) but are rare in female horses.
Canines Just Erupting
Canine teeth of male horses (and occasionally females) can erupt anytime, but most commonly from before birth to 3 years of age.
Cheek Teeth Calculus
Some horses accumulate saliva and feed in the sides of their cheeks that turns to hard calculus on the cheek sides of the first 1 to 3 cheek teeth.
Cheek Teeth Cap Fractures
Cheek Teeth Cap Fractures In Horses
Cheek Teeth Cap Remnants
Deciduous teeth (“Caps”) of young horses attach themselves to the underlying permanent tooth with tips of tooth. These often break off and remain between the permanent tooth and the gum like a kernel of pop corn stuck between your tooth and gum.
Cheek Teeth Caps
The 12 premolar cheek teeth have precursor deciduous teeth (caps). The 12 molar cheek teeth do not have deciduous teeth.
Cheek Teeth Displaced
Cheek teeth when not aligned with the rest of the teeth in the arcade are called displaced.
Cheek Teeth End Stage
Cheek teeth have a finite lifespan and when they run out of reserve crown, there is nothing left to hold them in. These are end stage teeth.
Cheek Teeth Eruption Bumps
When the permanent premolar cheek teeth push into position, they often cause lumps that appear on the face and lower jaw. These are normal and are not painful.
Cheek Teeth Extractions
On occasion, the cheek teeth of horses need to be extracted, though in my practice, it is extremely rare.
Cheek Teeth Foreign Objects
Foreign objects are usually organic (hay and other feed) that get stuck between the cheek teeth when an unusual gap exists.
Cheek Teeth Fractures
Cheek teeth fractures are very common and are usually non-events in the horse’s life.
Cheek Teeth Hooks
Hooks are the over-eruption of a tooth and are seen when there is no opposition in chewing.
Cheek Teeth Waves
An uneven occlusal surface along the arcade of cheek teeth is commonly called a wave. Some feel that the unevenness needs to be leveled however in my experience, it does not.
Chewing Motion
The chewing motion is unique to each horse and is affected by oral pain.
Cleft Palate And Wry Nose
Excerpt coming soon.
Cribbing Rings
Cribbing Rings In Horses
Dental Speculum Injury
The use of the speculum is common in equine dentistry. There are reports of damage to the horse caused by them and this is one of those cases.
Flabby Cheeks Of The Oral Cavity
Flabby Cheeks is the description of excessive tissue that lays in front of the first lower cheek teeth of horses. It is one of the three major reasons for bit difficulties and bit rejection as well as one of the primary causes of difficult floating in horses.
Foreign Objects In The Oral Cavity
Anything can get stuck in the mouth – and when you have no fingers…..
Incisor Abnormalities
Incisors are the nipper teeth and anything that is not normal is easily seen.
Incisor Absence
The nipper teeth can be missing from 1) never being there, 2) the cap is gone and the permanent tooth has not erupted yet, 3) trauma, and 4) extraction.
Incisor Calculus
Accumulation of saliva with feed is very common on the canines but not that common on incisors.
Incisor Cap Extractions
Some deciduous incisors hang on longer than they should.
Incisor Cap Remnants
Some deciduous incisors leave remnants between the gum and the permanent incisor.
Incisor Caps
All incisors have a precursor deciduous tooth that is displaced and ejected by the erupting permanent tooth below it.
Incisor Damage
Damage is common to the incisors because one of the primary purposes of these teeth is defense.
Incisor Decay And EOTRH
Incisors usually do not decay except after trauma or if EOTRH is affecting the horse.
Incisor Extractions
Incisor Extractions In Horses
Incisor Fractures
Incisor Fractures In Horses
Incisor Hooks
Incisor Hooks In Horses
Incisor Relaxed Space
When a horse is relaxed, their incisors are kept apart as seen in these photos. On average a horse chews 25,000 times a day. If each chew takes 1 second, then all the teeth are kept out of occlusion 71% of the day.
Incisor Supernumerary Teeth
Supernumerary incisors means there are more incisor teeth than should be there (more than 12 permanent incisors).
Incisor Trauma
These picture show trauma of an incisor from about 2 years earlier and the removal of the damaged tooth.
Incisor Tumors
This was thought to be a benign tumor (abnormal growth) of an incisor. It was extracted and shown to be a deciduous incisor that was malformed (the definition of a tumor).
Incisor Wear
The primary wearing factor of the incisors, including length and pattern of wear, is the movement of the tongue over the occlusal surfaces. This is called stropping.
Large Canines
Canines are used as weapons and some horses have very big canines.
Neoplasia In The Oral Cavity
Hyperplasia means more growth than is norma.
Oral Cavity Abscess
Oral Cavity Abscess In Horses
Oral Cavity Growths
On occasion, a growth occurs within the mouth that is benign and just a passing observation. Rarely do they affect the horse unlest they enlarge and cause either pain or restrict the chewing movement.
Oral Cavity Trauma
Whenever trauma occurs inside the mouth of the horse, the reaction from the horse can be anywhere from nothing at all to drooling and an inability to chew.
Overbite
Overbite In Horses
Parrot Mouth
Parrot mouth only affects the relationship of the incisors to each other where the upper incisors are more forward than the lower incisors and completely miss on occlusion. The cheek teeth are not affected.
Puffy Cheeks
Puffy Cheeks In Horses
Quidding
Quidding In Horses
Signs Of Sharp Dental Points
Signs Of Sharp Dental Points In Horses
Sow Mouth
Sow mouth only affects the relationship of the incisors to each other where the lower incisors are more forward than the upper incisors and completely miss on occlusion. The cheek teeth are not affected.
The Palate
The palate is the tissue dividing the mouth from the airway above it. It is divided into the hard and soft portions.
The Tongue
The Tongue Of The Horse
TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint)
TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint) In Horses
Underbite
Underbite In Horses
Vesicular Stomatitis
go down to related material Topic There is no topic material. Related Material Images, if...
Wolf Teeth Blind
When a wolf tooth in a horse doesn’t erupt through the gum, it is called a blind wolf tooth.
Wolf Teeth Extractions
Wolf teeth are the vestigial teeth that lie in front of the first upper (and rarely the lower) cheek teeth.
Posts
Incisors – A Question From An Owner
[cs_content][cs_section parallax=”false” separator_top_type=”none”...
Pull The Tooth!
Please read this first -This post has received a lot of comments. Before you post your question,...
Speechless In A Case Of EOTRH In A Horse
(This blog’s header photo is of a horse that is moderately affected with EOTRH) Every once...
The Trouble With Dentistry As Seen By A Human Doctor
I came across an article on Dr Joseph Mercola’s website. He is a functional medical physician who...
What Is The Cause Of EOTRH In Horses?
After the 2017 meeting of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) featuring Dr...
Who Knocked Out My Front Tooth?
The day after Memorial Day. I hope we all paused a moment yesterday to thank our soldiers for...
Podcasts
Cavities In Horse Teeth And More – Podcast #047
I go over some of the recent articles showing up in the magazines and news feeds for horse owners...
The TMJ Of Horses – Podcast #034
The temporomandibular joints connect the jaw (mandible) to the skull. It is the most active joint...
Webinars
Top 10 Things To Know Inside Your Horse’s Mouth – HorseTalk Webinar
Tarter encrusted foreign object on the base of the tongue. The piece of tarter was the size of a...