Functional Equine Dental Care

I use custom made, hand instruments that each have a different length and angle to efficiently work on specific parts of the mouth. My hand is in the mouth guiding the instrument to the precise spot that needs to be adjusted. This also allows me to leave as much clinical crown and occlusal surface on the molars as possible to maintain proper angles.

I believe hand tools and power tools both have an important role in the equine dental industry. I believe that the quality of work comes from the person using the tool, not the tool itself. Although too much dwell time on the teeth with a power tool can cause thermal damage and is much easier to make a mistake with one head shake. In the wrong hands manual tools can cause damage too. It comes down to the operator's skills and knowledge of anatomy and function.  

  A restriction in the mouth, whether it be uneven wear on the teeth, overgrowth, or excessive enamel points, will all affect the chewing action of the horse. This makes it not only uncomfortable for the horse but will cause pressure and rotation to the temporomandibular joint (TMJ; the junction highlighted where the jaw hinges to the skull). The temporal bone connects to the TMJ, runs across the forehead and to the mandible (jaw). The TMJ is an articular disc that separates the hinge joint of the jaw and the upper sliding joint. It is supported by many ligaments, muscles and tendons.

The TMJ is the closest joint to the brain, so imagine when that joint is stressed and in pain the effect it has on the whole horse.

 Just like when we chew gum too long or clench our teeth, it will often give us a headache. 

The horse may keep his head in a natural position. The head is not hanging tied or hoisted up on a high head stand, as being in this position too long is bad for the cervical vertebrae. Sedation, when needed, is done lightly with veterinarian approval.

The speculum is shut down every minute to give the horse's TMJ a break and feel the changes in the mouth. We all know keeping our mouths open too long at the dentist is not the most comfortable feeling. I often will work on my knees as the horse puts his head in a lowered position or move around with the horse as I work. 

Giving range of motion to the jaw will give range of motion to the body, so horses that are not heavily sedated will often feel the changes that have been made and want to move around.