Equine Handling- Aging by dental exam

Hypsodont Teeth

Continually erupt, slowly erupt over most of life, long crown, little root

Describe Canines, location in mouth, eruption time, do mares have canines?

Small pointy vestigial structures, between incisors and premolars, 5 years old, not often but if they do they are very small.

Brachydont teeth

Permanent Teeth fully erupt before maturity, normally survive for life of animal

Anatomy- individual tooth

- pulp

- cementum

- enamel

- dentin

What is the Pulp cavity of equine incisor tooth, how is it related to the dental star?

hollow space inside tooth that contains blood vessels nerves, and connective tissue; exposed secondary dentin that forms to protect the pulp cavity

Cup

Infundibulum, indentations of grinding surface of incisors

Oval (transversely) incisor wear

Young

Round

9-10yrs

Triangular

16-17yrs

Oval (rostrocaudally)

-20years

Occlusal Surface (Terminology)

The top of a tooth that is used for chewing and grinding

Buccal Surface

The side of the tooth that touches the cheek, or is on the cheek side of the jaw

Lingual Surface

The side of the tooth that faces the tongue

Labial surface

The side of a tooth that faces the lips

Interalveolar space

Space between the incisor and premolar teeth; canine teeth location

Deciduous Teeth- incisors

Smooth, no ridges, distinct neck, round

Deciduous Dental Formula

2(Di3/3Dc0/0Dp3/3Dm0/0)=24

Deciduous- Rule of 8's

1-8 days:i1 erupts

4-8 weeks: 12 erupts

6-8 months: i3 erupts

no deciduous canines or molars (or wolf)

Permanent incisors

Grooved, less white, not a distinct neck, more square in shape

What are wolf teeth? Why removed?

Small, pointy vestifial teeth, first premolar on upper jaw; because they can cause pain and discomfort and interfere with the bit

What are caps? Which teeth have them and can they cause problems?

retained deciduous teeth that sit on top of permanant teeth; only of deciduous premolars, can cause issues if retained or unevenly shed

Permanent Dental Formula

2(I3/3C0-1/0-1P3-4/3-4M3/3)=36-44 total

What is the variation in number of adult teeth due to?

Variability of the presence of first premolars (wolf teeth) in males and females, and variability of canines in females

What is the permanant dental formula used for

To ID teeth for dental care assess age, and manage issues

In wear

When 2 erupted teeth grow enough to meet

How do we use the term in helping to age?

Erupt----->6months ——-> in wear

Level

When both cusps are same height

Cup gone

when tooth reaches bottom of cup

Enamel spot

appears after the cup has worn down to the bottom

Dental Star

Appears when tooth is worn to pulp space; pulp space filled in with dentin. Appears on labial (lip side of tooth, rostrum to enamel spot

Galvayne's groove

Groove on lateral (labial) surface of upper I3's

Full-mouthed

About 5 years old, permanant incisors are erupted and in wear

Smooth mouthed

about 10 + years, cups are worn away, incisors are flat and smooth

Galvayne's groove how is it used to age, what is its timeline?

Lateral/labial surface of the upper I3's

10yrs- appears

15yrs- 1/2 way down

20yrs- all the way down (reaches occlusal surface)

25yrs-absent from upper 1/2

30 yrs- disappears

True or false; and why; Canines, molars, and wolf teeth are not preceeded by deciduous teeth

True; all three erupt as permanent teeth, not baby teeth

Eruption times (adult permanent)

I1- 2 1/2 yrs

I2= 3 1/2

I3=4 1/2

Canines= 4-5yrs

PMI=6 months (wolf tooth)

PM2= 2 yrs

PM3- 3yrs

PM4= 4yrs

M1 1yr

M2= 2yr

M3= 3 yr

Cementum

calcified tissue helps anchor tooth, covers outer surface of tooth root

Enamel

Tough, wear-resistent surface for grinding feed, convers outer surface of crown

Dentin

Bone-like tissue, supports enamel and absorbs stress when chewing, found beneath enamel, surrounds pulp cavity