Equine Dentistry - power tools or not?

[Dovorian]

It seems to be the norm now that EDTs use power tools, is it essential to sedate if power tools are used?

Just a thought - friend told me that her EDT was coming on a Sunday (!!) and I commented that the vet would charge the earth to come out and sedate.

 

[Miss L Toe]

No need to sedate, the power tools require that EDT gets further training, it is much quicker and looks more comfortable, of course the teeth should not be ground down smoothly, as the horse still needs cutting edges to tear and chew.

 

[Hen]

Had my first experience last week of an EDT using power tools; apart from the buzz (which wasn't bad at all) it looked a lot more easier for the horse and she stood like a rock, no sedation - I was really impressed with the speed and smoothness of the work.

 

[Stinkbomb]

My dentist uses power tools. Mush easier as my horses are minis and not all tools will fit in their mouths. Both my horses are done without sedation

 

[Tammytoo]

If they are good with the dentist they generally don't need sedation for power tools. The noise is a bit like clippers, so unless you're horse is frightened of clippers he should be OK. My 22 y.o. who hates having her teeth done (she reverses all the way round the box with the dentist following!) was no different when he used a power tool.

 

[Cocorules]

My vet who is dentist qualified too will sedate when using power tools. I have not seen them used without horse being sedated so cannot really comment. My vets prices are really reasonable

 

[mrsbt]

Never had my horses sedated, no need to. Even the baby saw the dentist for the first time this week and he had power tools used on him and was as good as gold.

 

[lachlanandmarcus]

I was always against sedation and made the dentist/vet struggle on but finally realised that my very stroppy 17 hander wasnt as a result getting a very full rasp/examination. So I went with the flow and have both of them sedated and as a result have had a lot less incidence of colic in the 17 hander and a lot less stress for all concerned incl the horses.

They use power tools but not in isolation, the power rasp is used for the bulk and then the tricky parts and finishing off is done with the manual rasp. I like this approach as the speed of the power rasp means they dont need too much sedation.

NB the horses arent clipped and are good with farrier so dont need sedating for anything else and while 17 hander is sedated I take the opportunity once dentist has gone to do a little sheath cleaning if it's needed, so making the most of the sedation!

 

[fatpiggy]

My horse has always been rasped by hand but my dentist (EDT) has advised me that as she has already lost several teeth and the others are getting shaky, she must be rasped with power tools from now on as a big rasp affects all the teeth, not just the one you are trying to level off. I trust him completely as I've known him since before I got my horse. SHe will have to be sedated though as I never did manage to clip any higher than her jugular groove (small quiet clippers) and I'd rather have a vets bill for sedation than a frightened horse which may then need a big vets bill having injured herself. I've seen quite a stressy horse done perfectly well without sedation though so I wouldn't say it was a total necessity. Owners should know their horses best!

 

[Oberon]

I am interested in this one. I had an EDT once and she used power tools on my big lad - he didn't seem bothered.

I never used her again as she seemed a bit unsure what to do with my elderly boy's teeth and reluctant to get involved in them - so I stick with the vet.

The vets I've always had use hand tools and I've noticed other owners appear to prefer this.

I don't know enough about teeth to have an opinion either way

 

[Merlin11]

My last edt used power tools but one I have switched to doesn't generally use them. They need to be more qualified to use them and there is an increased risk of it going wrong. Think I am more comfortable with the manual version.