Dear Equine Friends,
I would like to take this time to introduce myself and introduce you to the world of Equine Dentistry. My goal is to educate horse owners
so they know the level of care that their horses need and to ensure your horse is able to eat efficiently by maintaining the maximum
occlusal surface.
Over the years, I have always had my horses teeth floated. I did not know there was a difference between a ten minute float or a dentist.
But there was always something missing, my horses just were not right. It has been a blessing that they were there to help our horses the
only way they know how. But working in the horse industry for most of my life I always knew there was something missing. I myself
would not go to my general practitioner to have my teeth worked on, would you? So I went to school.
I attended the Universal School of Dentistry, a/k/a Academy of Equine Dentistry in Idaho and continued my education on an annual
basis. I am always in awe when leaving the Academy, times are changing and I am going to do my best to educate horse owners and make
our horses safe for our children. Education is critical when working in the field of dentistry. Routine dental care is essential to your
horse’s health. Examination, correction and regular maintenance are especially necessary for a number of reasons.
I have worked with horses for more than 40 years, training at the regional and national level. I’ve attended clinics with Dr. Deb Bennett,
Linda Tellington Jones, Dr. Rooney from Penn State and other renowned horse and mule trainers throughout the U.S.
If you are looking for a change, someone with experience, reliability, and the time and attention your horse deserves, look no further.
Please don’t hesitate to call me for any questions or a consultation. I can assist you in biting and explain the anatomy of your horse’s
head and mouth and why certain bits work better than others. Dental Clinics are available for horse groups, for example 4-Her’s, Trail
Riders Association and Breed clubs.
I sincerely thank you for your time and hope you will benefit from this information and use it as guideline for your horse's health needs. I
want the best for your horses and owners. I hope I leave you with a better understanding regarding Equine Dentistry.
Shelley Lavigne, EqDT
860-212-0114
Why should you call an Equine Dentist?
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Dropping feed and excessive salivation
Poor body condition, weight loss
Swelling of the face jaw or mouth tissues, nasal discharge
Tilted head or shakes head while chewing feed or under saddle.
Tossing or chewing on the bit, tongue problems, fighting the bit or bridle
Poor performance
Chooses to eat hay before grain
Develops sores on the tongue, lips or gums
Manure contains undigested grain kernels or pieces of hay
Resistance to drink cold water
Foul odor from the mouth or nostrils
Pulls head to one side, rears or bucks while riding, carries tongue abnormally
Dunking his hay in the water bucket
What should you expect from an Equine Dentist?
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Work with your veterinarian on a professional level
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Float incisors, float molars-remove cap fragments, remove molar caps, burr front hooks and float rear ramps, correct wavy
mouth, extractions, float and realign incisors’, trim, buff and remove tartar from canines, make custom bit seats, remove
deciduous incisors, remove wolf teeth, balance the entire arcade for comfort.
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Remove wolf teeth, balance the entire arcade for comfort. Adjust excessive transverse riding (ETR), correct a step or wave
mouths,
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Full head palpitation, assessment of symmetry of the head, jaw and facial muscles
Patience and kindness; and the ability to work with your horse in a professional manner. *Work as stress free as possible.
Takes his/her time and introduces himself/herself to get to know your horse. “Relax and breathe”
Listen to the owner or handler in detail
Expect complete charting of work performed on your horse. You also should be able to understand in detail the work that has
been performed and have the ability to read your charts
Harmony should be created between the T.M.J. joints, molar table and incisors for maximum comfort.
Understanding and maintaining the relationship between the TMJ, and your horse’s teeth is essential. Genetically, not all horses have
equally functional mouths or identical growth patterns of the teeth. Horse’s teeth are continually erupting and maturing. His permanent
premolars erupt at approximately six month intervals and his permanent incisors erupt at one year intervals. Horses do not have a full
adult set of teeth before the age of five. With these eruption processes in mind, horses should be inspected more frequently in the first
five years of their lives. After five years of age it is recommended that their mouths be examined annually or biannually, depending of the
state of the mouth, diet and other intervening factors.
We have changed our horses' diet and eating pattern through domestication and confinement. We demand our horses to be athletes and
we select horses without regard to dental considerations. Routine dental care by an educated Equine Dentist will help keep your horse
comfortable, utilize feed more efficiently, be happier under saddle and live a longer life. Feeding patterns we have today have
domesticated our horses and have a large effect on their chewing pattern and the wear of their teeth. Overall care means our horses are
living a longer and healthier life and create more dental problems. The use of bits and tight nose bands can cause pain and soft tissue
injury if there are sharp edges on their teeth, even a bitless bridle can cause severe pain on the outside cheek against the teeth.
Regular equine dental procedures can enhance the horse’s health and performance when undertaking equestrian activities. Being a horse
owner, you have an ethical responsibility to ensure the wellbeing of your horse in your care. Please remember that not all horse’s mouths
are created equally. As a result, each horse is required to be treated as a specific and distinct individual.
Horses are grazing animals, and their teeth are perfectly adapted for that purpose. Incisors have a flat surface and are curved side to side
for nipping and tucking grasses.
The cheek teeth and/or molars grind the feed into a rope like bolus that works its way down the esophagus. It is very important your
horse can chew properly to prevent choke or colic.
Always beware of your horse’s abnormal behavior. Wolf teeth should be extracted to prevent pain from your bits. All floating procedures
are permanent and should only be performed by an Equine Dentist or Veterinarian that has been schooled in the dental field from an
accredited school.
Know your horse’s breath smell, foul odor from the mouth or nostrils, or blood from the mouth and know your horses gum color
especially in a geriatric horse.
A Floater who floats sharps points will provide initial relief; however, a poorly trained practitioner who changes occlusal plain
without proper training may actually create problems that didn’t previously exist.
The lack of proper dental care may continue to cause problems that I have already listed, and may also affect its locomotion and
musculoskeletal structures of the neck and back, resulting in pain, stiffness and inflammation. Quite often you will find that proper
dental care will decrease your feed bill as the horses will utilize their feed more efficiently, and unruly behavior or riding problems that
your horse may be exhibiting will be eliminated or at least improved.