dentistry

denise1

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21 July 2009
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hi, just a querie, my horse had his teeth looked at yesterday, previous dentists have alwasys used a gag, and horse has had to be sedated for this. yesterday, qualified locum came out and did not use gag, horse didnt need sedating, which is great but he just filed back teeth. a bit concerned as horse threw his head in the air, so how did he get a good look, did feel his teeth, but worried. please reassure, or share experiences. thanks in anticipation
 
my dentist often uses a gag to check and then takes it off to do the back teeth. they dont always need their front teeth doing and having every thing from a 13.1 who had power tools unsedated and a 17.2 who needs to be sedated for the dentist to reach they have had gags used for the whole thing, or to check and then do without or just done by feel. maybe your horse was more settled now he has been sedated a few times so there was no need to force him to cooperate with gag and sedation.
 
Not quite sure how he managed to do a complete examination and any necessary rasping without using a gag. I thought that for the back molars, they were essential
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the gag is needed to be able to feel all the teeth individually,just rasping the back (im asuming only the upper teeth as you cant do the lowers without the gag on unless your horse stands there with its mouth open !!!!) isnt really going to do alot as there is likely to be ETR,also may need to be re-balenced also will need the sharp edges taken off the lingual edge of the lower teeth ! depending on when you horse was last done then all these things that are standard in the horses mouth will need attending to at least,hence why we always gag the horse,the only time we do not gag is if the horse is under 2 because the bones in the skull havnt knitted together and could damage the growth,although we do like to pop a rasp in just to get it use to us and the tool
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