Equine Dentistry
Dentistry is an important part of the health care of your horse. Your horse's teeth should be examined at least every year. In some individuals, particular with those with dental abnormalities, dental work may be required more frequently.
Both Karl Holliman and Penny Brownings are qualified Equine Dental Technicians (EDT) and members of the British Association of Equine Dental Technicians having passed the BEVA/BVDA dentistry exam. Karl is one of only a few vets to have attained this qualification and Penny is the first Veterinary Nurse to achieve this!
All Veterinary Surgeons carry a full set of dental rasps with modern carbide blades and a full mouth speculum (gag) for a full and thorough mouth examination.
We also have a wide range of more specialised dental equipment including motorised tools . We are fully trained in modern equine dentistry techniques and are able to effectively correct problems such as hooks, wave mouth, dental overgrowths and incisor problems.
As Qualified Veterinary Surgeons we are able to provide sedation, pain relief and local anaesthesia as required during dental work, allowing a more thorough result and less pain and stress to your horse. This can also be safer for the horse, Veterinary Surgeon and the handler!
Cost Effective Dentistry
Our routine dental floating costs just £50 (incl. VAT) or £40 if we see 5 or more horses at the same address.
This price includes the following:
- thorough oral examination
- rasping of all sharp enamel points
- 'bit seating' of all front cheek teeth for 'performance' finish
- removal of any minor focal overgrowths (such as small ramps, hooks, overgrown teeth, waves, spurs etc.)
- basic incisor work if deemed necessary
- full dental records
If sedation is required for dental work, we have a set fee of £20 (incl. VAT) for moderate sedation for dental treatment.
Dentistry can be booked under our Zone Visit Scheme, making our prices extremely competetive.
Advanced dental procedures e.g. removal of wolf teeth and removal of large overgrowths are not included but can usually be performed at the same time for our usual fee.
We do not charge for dental examinations. We only charge for work that needs to be carried out. The visit for annual vaccination provides an ideal opportunity to check your horse’s teeth.
Why is Routine Dental care essential?
Horses’ teeth have evolved to chew grass and fibre and wear down at a rate of 2 to 3mm per year. This wear is balanced by eruption at an equal rate. Cross breeding and domestication of horses has led to the common occurrence of dental abnormalities such as over-crowding, misalignment and focal overgrowths. When a horse grazes the natural circular action required to eat grass brings the chewing surface of the opposing teeth into contact and the teeth wear down evenly. When eating hay or hard feed, the horse does not need the same circular action to chew, resulting in sharp enamel edges that can cause ulceration and pain.
Regular dental care, rasping (floating) to reduce sharp edges and ‘bit-seating’ can vastly improve your horse’s performance. It is essential that your bit or bridle does not cause oral discomfort. Your horse will not work comfortably in an outline if it has any sharp teeth or overgrowths that restrict the free movement of the jaw.
down evenly. When a horse eats hay or hard feed, the horse does not need the same circular action to chew these ‘softer’ feeds and the result is that the outer edges of the top molars and the inner edges of the lower molars do not come into contact and don’t wear down. The end result is sharp enamel edges that cause ulceration and pain.
How can you recognise Dental Problems?
Signs of dental problems include:
- dropping food (quidding)
- weight loss
- bad odour
- biting problems or evasion
- head tilt or shaking
- facial swelling/ nasal discharge
- Colic or choke
Even in horses with moderately severe mouth lacerations and dental disease, the desire to eat will be maintained and the problems may not be obvious without a full dental examination.
Advanced dental procedures
At our Equine Clinic, with our surgical facilities and experience, we can provide a comprehensive range of advanced up-to-date treatments to ensure complete dental care of your horse.
We have an Equine Periodontal Unit with high speed drill, air abrasion, flushing and vacuum. This allows us to effectively treat a range of dental diseases including painful periodontal disease, restoration (’filling’) of diseased cavities of the upper teeth and root canal fillings of the incisor teeth.
We commonly perform dental extractions following diagnosis of disease such as infection or fractured teeth. Most procedures are carried out through the mouth under sedation and nerve blocks. With our facilities and digital x-ray we are well equipped to diagnose and perform all these procedures.
Karl Holliman is happy to see any cases referred from other Veterinary Surgeons or Equine Dental Technicians.
We recommend every horse’s mouth is examined at least once a year. The interval for inspection and treatment will vary between individual and problem presented. Please note our recommendation on your horse’s dental record.
