Horse Teeth Terms
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Horse Teeth Terms - Horse Health...
Common Horse Teeth Terms and their meanings as used by your equine dentists.
Your equine dentist will use common horse teeth terms to refer to different aspects of your horses mouth and teeth and to areas, problems or treatments.
The following list, details some of the most common terms along with a basic description of what the term means.
TERMS used to describe horse teeth, dental operations or anomolies:
Arcade:
A row of teeth.
Bit Seats:
Rounding off the front surface of the first upper and lower cheek teeth
to make the horse more comfortable with the bit.
Cap:
The remains of a deciduous (baby) tooth that covers an erupting tooth
and is then shed. Retention of caps may delay eruption of the permanent
cheek tooth causing the development of eruption cysts
Cheek Teeth:
The premolars and molars at the back of the mouth, both top and bottom,
which are used to grind up food.
Diastema:
A space between teeth. This may be the normal space between the incisors
and the cheek teeth or an abnormal space that develops between one or
more cheek teeth.
Hook:
A pointed end or protuberance on a tooth through abnormal wear.
CAUDAL HOOKS
Definition - Dominant lower or upper last
molar overhanging opposing molar. Hereditary - May result from horse
born with over or under bite.
Problems - prevents horse from chewing
freely side to side resulting improper and excessive molar wear. Tight
soft tissues are very susceptible to lacerations from sharp molar points.
Can cause extreme discomfort as the head carriage or frame is changed
when riding.
ROSTRAL HOOKS
Definition - Dominant upper front premolars
overhang lower premolars. Hereditary - May result from horse born with
an overbite.
Problems - Prevents horse chewing
freely from side to side resulting in improper and excessive molar wear.
Can cause excessive wear to opposing lower premolar. Can cause severe bit problems and trauma to soft tissue.
Quidding:
The dropping of partly chewed food from the mouth.
Slant Mouth:
Contact between the top and bottom incisors at an angle instead of being
horizontal.
Incisors:
The top and bottom teeth (12 in total), found at the front of the mouth
and used for grazing.
Step Mouth:
Through abnormal wear, the grinding surface of the cheek teeth arcade
is arranged in step like fashion instead of the normal smooth curve.
Shearmouth:
Through abnormal wear, the angle of contact between the top and bottom
cheek teeth has become greater than the normal 10-15 degrees and may have
reached 45 degrees.
Tushes or Tusks:
The canine teeth found between the incisors and the cheek teeth. Theoretically
used for fighting and present in most male horses. Usually very small
or absent in mares.
Wave Mouth:
Due lo uneven wear, the grinding surface of the cheek teeth arcade has
a wavelike appearance instead of a smooth curve.
Wolf Teeth:
The first premolars that appear in front of the cheek teeth in around
15 to 25% of horses. If small and correctly positioned, they are unlikely
to cause problems.
WOLF TOOTH
Definition - Small shallow rooted teeth in
front of premolars. Most common in upper jaw. Can occasionally occur in
front of lower premolars.
Problems - Bit may contact tooth causing severe
pain and discomfort as tooth moves. Can fracture or become loose causing
discomfort.
Solution - Wolf teeth should be removed before
your horse is bitted to prevent discomfort and bad habits.
BLIND WOLF TOOTH
Definition- Abnormal wolf tooth that does
not break through gums. Usually comes in at an angle, often up to one
inch forward of premolars. Angle of tooth does not allow it to penetrate
gums.
Problems - Can cause severe bit problems.
In a location that bit often contacts. Often missed due to being buried
under gums.
Solution - Generally easy to surgically remove.
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