Suzanne Redford
Equine Dental Services
Pictures of an Equine Dental Technician's Visit
Pictures kindly provided by journalist Jonathan Miller, taken whilst carrying out dentistry on his two Percheron horses
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| It is important to fully evaluate the horse's head, and check for any noticeable problems. This includes checking the incisors (front teeth), which can also assist in indicating the horse's age, an important detail to know prior to starting dental work | In order to assess exactly what is going on inside the mouth, a speculum needs to be fitted to hold the horse's mouth open. This sits on the horse's incisors, and can be opened to varying degrees. |
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| With the mouth held open, it is possible to thoroughly evaluate the state of the horse's teeth, gums, cheeks and tongue, and decide what dental action needs to be taken. | The majority of horses have, amongst other dental problems, sharp outside edges on their upper cheek teeth. Before opening their mouth with the speculum on, these sharp edges can be reduced in height with the rasp, making it more comfortable for the horse. |
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| Rasping without the speculum on also helps to relax young or nervous horses, and gets them use to the feeling of the rasp without the strangeness of having their mouth held open. In fact, many horses seem to quite like the experience! | This picture shows me rasping the horse's teeth, with one hand in the mouth to help guide the end of the rasp. The mouth is securely held open by the speculum, enabling all parts of the mouth to be reached. |