Dentistry - Power or Traditional - your opinion

ausipaliboi

ausipaliboi

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Today was my first ever experience with a horse getting it's teeth done and it was pretty amazing! I have had my boy 4 years and since a vet finally opened near us so it was D(entist)-Day.

Well. He is 13 years old and never had his teeth done. He has a step mouth and had to have a wolf tooth pulled. I knew I had been dragging my feet getting around to having them done but to find out that his 28 year old paddock mate had her teeth done in less than half the time of his, well! I told the vet about his history and breeder (what I know) and her response was, yup, unfortunantly anyone can breed horses and call themselves a stud...

The vet was a lovely young lady who handled her power float with ease and skill. My normally skittish horse was a model patient and the vet commented that you would never have guessed he is spooky nor that it was his first time he handled it so well (sorry, gush moment).

Had a good chat with her about traditional v power float and having seen it first hand today I am very pleased with the method she used.

So, what is your preference? Is there a specific why for it?
 
I don't believe it really matters - it is the quality of the workmanship and knowledge of your job that is the issue.

I expect throwing those big tools around can be quite a strain on the arms and back especially if the horse is not cooperating so would expect a woman to want to opt for the power tools. In the wrong hands though I suppose you could be at risk of taking too much off if you know what I mean.
 
I wouldn't touch a dentist that used a power float with a barge pole! My boy came to me having had a dentist use such a thing his teeth were completely un-level on either side and his front teeth had been taken too short in fact a real mess! A good dentist does a lot by feel and if they are worth their salt should be able to rasp without causing any distress to the horse at all!
 
My boy was terrible when I used to get our vet to do it. He was a pain but vet did it traditionally however instead of using a gag he used to grab his tongue and cling on to it. I was only there for one of his visits and realised this was why my horse won't let me look in his mouth. I then got a lady dentist with power tools and he was a star. None of the usual throwing himself around. Murphy was obviously far more comfortable and so I've never gone back.

I do think a lot of it is craftmanship. She always let's me feel his teeth once she's finished and I know I'm not an expert I can check that his teeth are even and smooth and that they don't seem to be causing him pain.
Xx
 
the main thing is to check they are fully qualified and experienced. i prefer traditional as there is more risk with the power tools if it goes wrong. make sure they are a member of BAEDT or a vet. there are people out there calling themselves equine dentists using power tools who are not fully qualified and they can do a lot of damage.
 
Well said re craftmanship. The vet used the gag on him and once she had done her initial assessment she then showed me everything that she saw, where the issues were, what she was going to do about it. Stopped half way through so I could see the differences it was making.

Two or three times my boy flicked his head without warning. The instant he moved she took her finger off the trigger and the power immediately stopped, once he had settled she started again. She was regularly stopping and checking her work and explaining things as she went.

I can be quite a fussy mother but not once did I have reason for concern.

My experience only being what I have read in books and magazines, I was very pleased with the work done today.
 
They both have their place. It is quicker with power tools. My vet who is a qualified EDT uses both. Someone who is qualified and insured is essential. Personally I would not want anyone to use power tools on a horse that is not sedated
 
I would always try to avoid a dentist that uses a power tool as opposed to a manual rasp but then i would also use a dentist as opposed to a vet (i see you are in OZ so may not have too much choice on that one!). I think that the power tools can take the teeth back too much and it is impossible for them to reach right back and into the sides of the horses mouth so you are often left with sharp edges on the very back ones.

I have had the power tools used on horses i have looked after (none of them sedated) and all of them have needed follow up work from a dentist that used manual tools.

Hope your pony feels better :)
 
Hmm, when my vet turned up to do my vet phobic horse with power floats my heart sank. Said vet explained that actually, the sensation of the power tools was easier for the horses. After very small IM sedation, the horse was absolutely fine. It completely changed my view point and I would always do this now. My vet is however an accomplished horseman and I think this helps too.
 
I use a qualified EDT too who comes out every 10 months unless I have a horse that needs more specialist care.

Much prefer the EDT to use a rasp, of course power tools are needed too but not as an automatic first choice. I've been fortunate enough to have had some fab EDT's all of whom have never needed to have the horse sedated. In contrast, local vet practice seems to sedate even the most docile of horses before even giving them a few minutes to work it out.
 
If power tools as routine are good enough for Ivan Stockdale (very well thought of around here, appointments with him like gold dust) then thats all I need. When he does a college visit he does maybe 15-20 horses in a day, so I guess power tools help him there. Many people seem to think that power tools are like a DIY drill or something, I had several different heads used on my arm as a demo and it is still intact :) as for the arguement that its lazy (yes, one person I knew said this is why she would never use an EDT who used power tools) then thats just daft. If they are any good and have full books I would rather my EDT appointment at 4pm was with someone who used the most appropriate tools for the job, and they arrived still physically able to do my horse well.

Mr Stockdale's opinion is that you can't do a mouth properly without them or a gag. As you can tell, as far as I am concerned Mr Stockdale's word is God!! ;)
 
I use a qualified dentist and so long as she does the job sympathetically and correctly for the horse, I don't care whether she uses the hand rasps or the power tools...

My TB was in a right mess when he arrived and needed the electrical gizmo - this time round she was able to get the job done perfectly well with her hand tools... Young QH and a horse we have on loan are booked in for a sedation next week as youngster needs wolf teeth out and a bit of work and the mare needs quite a bit of work and wasn't too impressed with being fiddled with... Next time for 'maintenance' hopefully they'll be like the TB and need less intensive work... :)
 
As long as the horse can eat comfortably once the sedation has worn off I don't see a problem with either TBH. I have always had the vet as that is my preference.
 
The modern equine dentistry has given my horse a chance of a good life no doult about power tools for me used by the vet with a lot of sedation and any horse with any type of problem in the lorry and straight up to professor Dixon at Edinburgh.
Non powered method would have left my horse with no choice but to try and live with infected gaps between his teeth .
 
Naturally said:
Many people seem to think that power tools are like a DIY drill or something, I had several different heads used on my arm as a demo and it is still intact :)
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There are huge misconceptions about power tools – good power tools, such as Leclairs, used correctly by trained professionals do a very good job and tend to be a lot less stressful for the horse too.

With older horses who’s teeth are expiring power tools can often be better as the ‘drag’ of a manual rasp is far more than that of a power tool and can loosen the teeth. There is also less risk of soft tissue damage with power tools – try running a manual rasp across your skin and compare it to doing the same with the head on a power tool!
 
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