Frequently Asked Questions

What is a comprehensive equine oral exam?

​Equine dentistry is not just floating teeth. A comprehensive oral exam should be performed before any dental treatment, including floating teeth. Only a veterinarian is trained and licensed to perform oral exams. A comprehensive oral exam has five components, which includes exam of external structures,
oral soft tissues, periodontal structures, endodontic status, and occlusion. To perform an oral exam, the patient must be sedated, a dental speculum must be placed, a bright light will be needed, and a variety of mirrors and probes are used to completely examine the mouth.

The oral exam begins externally. The veterinarian will listen to the horse’s heart, conduct a brief physical exam, and gather pertinent history from the horse’s owner or trainer. The veterinarian will administer sedation to keep the standing patient calm. Next, the horse’s lymph nodes will be palpated and their head checked for symmetry as some dental issues can present with facial swelling in the area of the affected tooth. The veterinarian will also smell the horse’s breath and look for nasal discharge or odor, which can be signs of infection. Then, the veterinarian will take a look at the horse’s incisors and place a speculum on the horse in order to examine the cheek teeth. A mirror or oral endoscope and probes will be used to examine all oral soft tissue, periodontal structures, endodontic status and check occlusion. Once the exam has been performed, a treatment plan, which may include teeth floating or other treatment, will be discussed.

Why does my horse need routine dentistry?

All horses should have regular oral exams. Horses chew in a figure-eight motion and have a narrower lower jaw, which causes them to unevenly wear their molars and to form sharp points on the edges of their teeth. If left untreated, these sharp points can cause lacerations and abrasions on the horse’s cheeks and tongue, which are painful for the horse. Malocclusions can also develop. “Floating” is an old masonry term which means “to level”. In the horse, tooth floating is when a veterinarian grinds down
the sharp points on the edges of a horse’s teeth. Floating can also help reduce overlong teeth and even out unbalanced teeth. All of these techniques help to prolong the effectiveness of the chewing surface and to prevent tooth infections.

Routine dentistry is more than just floating. A complete oral exam must be performed first to determine the need for floating and to diagnose other potential issues such as sinus and tooth infections, periodontal (gum) disease, fractured teeth, or oral cancer.

By scheduling regular dental exams for your horse, you can help him perform his best by keeping them comfortable and healthy.

What is an equine dentist?

The American Veterinary Dental College® (AVDC®) is the entity which credentials equine dentists. According to the AVDC, an individual must graduate from veterinary school, complete a one-year internship, and complete several years of a formal dental residency, after which the individual must pass an extensive examination. Once all of these steps have been completed, the veterinarian is a Board-Certified Veterinary Dentist™.

While all veterinarians can perform oral exams and float horse teeth, a Board-Certified Veterinary Dentist™ has special training which makes them more equipped to handle difficult cases and to perform technically-challenging oral surgeries using minimally-invasive techniques.
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There are some individuals who offer floating services but who have not graduated from veterinary school (“lay floaters”). Although lay floaters may refer to themselves as horse dentists, they are not legally allowed (see page 11) to call themselves horse dentists, perform oral exams, float horse teeth, administer sedation, or extract teeth in the state of New Jersey. They are practicing veterinary medicine without a license or insurance. Their training varies widely from no training to a few-week course.

Why do I need a veterinarian to provide my horse’s dental care?

Many dental problems are invisible to the untrained eye and there are often no noticeable signs of disease until a condition has considerably progressed. Veterinarians are trained to detect early signs of disease and issues with teeth that would not be otherwise observed. This means that a veterinarian can catch dental issues early on and prevent them from progressing further by instituting treatment. Only a veterinarian is trained and licensed to administer sedation, perform an oral exam and any related dental procedures, including floating.

Why does my horse need to be sedated during an oral exam and/or floating?

Think about how difficult it would be for your own dentist to perform an oral exam on you if you were constantly shaking your head or pulling away. Sedation is necessary for a horse’s oral exam so that the veterinarian can perform a thorough examination. Sedating the horse also ensures that the dental exam is a low-stress and safe experience for the horse and veterinarian alike. Without sedation, a mirror, and a bright light, a thorough oral exam cannot be performed.

How often does my horse need routine dental care?

Most horses require a dental exam and floating once or twice per year. Some horses will require routine dental care more often in order to prevent issues that occur when the horse cannot properly chew its food, including colic, weight loss, and choke. During your horse’s dental exam, your veterinarian will be able to tell you how often your horse should receive dental care based on your horse’s unique conformation and dental health status.

How can I prepare for my horse's oral exam?

Preparing for your horse’s oral exam is simple and can help make the process smoother for your veterinarian and for your horse. On the day of your horse’s exam, they should be in their stall when the veterinarian arrives. If your horse lives in a field, he should be caught and held in their run-in shed, a wash stall, or another area free of obstacles where the exam can be performed. The exam needs to be performed in an area with a non-slip floor surface. If the veterinarian will be examining multiple horses at the same farm, it is easiest for the veterinarian to work out of one stall and to rotate the horses through that stall for their exams. Following the exam, the horse can remain in his stall or in another area without other horses and with hay removed until he wakes up from sedation in about an hour. The horse should always have access to fresh water.

Can I ride my horse after their oral exam?

​You can ride your horse once he has fully woken up and recovered from sedation, in 2-3 hours.

What do horses do in the wild without routine dental care?

Thanks to ever-evolving veterinary technology and feedstuffs designed for older horses, domesticated horses are living into their 30s and even 40s in some cases. Wild horses have a far shorter life expectancy, in part due to the fact that they do not receive routine medical care, including dental exams and floating. This means that wild horses will wear out their teeth much quicker than domestic horses, leaving them unable to properly chew and digest their food. Additionally, a wild horse that fractures a tooth or that develops a tooth infection will not receive treatment and will have to live with the pain and discomfort of dental disease. Finally, wild horses live on much rougher forage than domestic horses which are fed soft, cultivated hay. The different types of forage that we feed our domestic horses causes them to wear their teeth differently than wild horses.

Does my old/retired horse still routine need dental care?

Yes! Even if a horse is not being ridden anymore, it still needs to receive regular dental exams and floating. Older horses wear their teeth more slowly than younger horses, but they still get sharp points from chewing. Periodontal disease and EOTRH are some of the more painful conditions of geriatric horses. Older horses are also more susceptible to dental disease, so it is important to have their teeth checked regularly by your veterinarian.

Do you treat miniature horses and donkeys?

Yes! Dr. McAndrews performs oral exams and routine dentistry as well as necessary oral surgeries on minis and donkeys. Miniature horses and donkeys often require more dental care because of issues stemming from teeth crowding and malocclusions, which is common to these smaller animals.

If I suspect my horse has an oral problem, what should I look for?

Dental issues may result in weight loss, decreased appetite, abnormal chewing, balling up feed, dropping feed (quidding), bad breath, nasal discharge, swelling on the head, fussing with the bit, tail or head shaking, resisting turning or stopping, running backward, bucking, rearing, or other unexplained poor behavior. While these signs may indicate an oral problem, many dental issues do not present with any visible signs. This is why it is critical to have your horse’s mouth regularly examined by a veterinarian.