Why regular examinations matter

Good dental care is important for a horse’s wellbeing, as well as acceptance of the bit. 

Horses can be very stoic about dental pain, and without regular examinations it is possible to miss significant problems. 

Unlike humans, horses’ teeth continuously erupt throughout life. This unique process can lead to abnormalities of wear and eruption, which require regular monitoring and correction. 

Horses are also prone to conditions such as dental abscesses, periodontal disease and infundibular caries, many of which can be prevented or managed successfully with early detection. 

For this reason, a thorough dental examination is just as important as routine rasping.

Most horses benefit from dental examinations every six to 12 months. However, more frequent checks are often recommended for elderly horses, young horses or those with known dental abnormalities such as missing or misaligned teeth.

Our dental services

All of our vets provide a range of routine and advanced dental services, including:

• Comprehensive oral examination using a full-mouth speculum.
• Routine rasping and reduction of sharp enamel points and overgrowths.
• Balancing of the dental arcades.
• Management of dental infections and abscesses.
• Extraction of wolf teeth.
• Investigation of oral pain and performance-related issues.
• Dental radiography.

In addition to this, our veterinary surgeon Bridey has undertaken additional training and offers:

Extraction of diseased incisors, canines, and cheek teeth.

Advanced oral examination using an otoscope (a handheld device used to examine the ear canal and eardrum).

Diagnosis and treatment of diastema (abnormal gaps between teeth).