Whether you are a client who found this address on your invoice or an interested web surfer I'm glad you are here! Maybe you are a dentist yourself and you are searching for a better way to care for horses teeth. This site is dedicated to educating the public as to the merits of traditional equine dentistry. Traditional Equine Dentists use hand held floats to file a horses molars. The skills of the Traditional Equine Dentist or TED go beyond simply improving the comfort and performance of a horses mouth. They also must include horsemanship skills since our patients are rarely sedated. Well floated teeth are the first critical step in caring for a horses mouth. No "advancements" in instrumentation or "new procedures" will change that. The most cost effective, practical, and safe way to get superior results when floating a horses teeth remains with hand held tools. Using multiple hand tools (currently there are ten floats in my bucket) and a speculum allows a dentist to negotiate all the nooks and crannies of a horses mouth. The key to a well floated mouth is to reduce the high teeth and sharp teeth, but to do it in a even manner. Reduce the high spot, but leave the molar table intact. The front of the molar arcades must receive the same attention as the back of the molar arcades. If this approach is closely adhered to no filing of the incisors will ever be necessary. If the opposing angles of the molar tables are treated with respect no unusual incisor wear patterns will develop and if unusual patterns do exist they will correct over time with no harm to the TMJ.
Tooth fairy, lay dentist, floater, call us what you will, but please don't call us Doctor. The tradition of using lay persons to float teeth predates veterinary licensing. The tools and techniques were handed down from master to apprentice or from father to son. Every racetrack in America had skilled laypersons caring for the needs of horses mouths. Anywhere you found skilled horsemen and women you could get the phone number for the "tooth fairy". The purpose of floating a horses teeth is to reduce the sharpness to increase comfort. A floating also enhances the function of the mouth by reducing high teeth. If the horse stopped ulcerating the inside of his mouth your knew you had made that horse more comfortable. If the horse went back to eating as well or better than before his float, you knew you'd improved the function of his mouth. In my 30+ years floating teeth in a traditional manner I've corrected every type of problem. Sloppy and slow eaters are almost always fixed through floating. Floating can stop quidding in an older horses by allowing their geriatric mouths to function better. Riders who complain that their mounts are stiffer in one direction find that suppleness and connection are enhanced by a proper float. Head tossing during riding is often caused by discomfort in the mouth. I've even had clients say, " their horse's attitude improved after their teeth issues were addressed".
Today horse caretakers have a myriad of choices when it comes to caring for their horses teeth. Everything from two rusty floats and grab the tongue to enough tools to build the space shuttle. Look through my site and consider which approach to floating teeth is the most horse friendly and effective. Which approach gives the greatest results with the least risk for harm to the patient. I believe you'll find the techniques of the Traditional Equine Dentist using hand tools and horsemanship is the most effective and productive approach to floating teeth.
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