Tooth problem!

[pistolpete]

In December my horse broke a tooth, upper molar right side. Horsey dentist said should be fine but recommended anti-biotics for a week which my vet was happy to supply.
Horse seemed ok except for occasional mouthing action. Vet came end of Jan to give vaccination, I mentioned broken tooth vet recommended x-ray.
Horse had x-ray, vet now recommends specialist vet Chris Barnes in New Forest sees horse with view to root canal or removal.
My question is anyone been through this what do I expect does it sound logical? Didn't know horses could have root canal work!
Bit dissappointed in this Chris Barnes bloke already as I asked for him to phone me and he didn't left his receptionist/nurse to talk to me and he is Pet Plan's vet of the year! Whinge over! Advice and experiences please, thanks for reading.

 

[ladyearl]

Complicate relationship but essentially one of the horses I help look after has just had a tooth removed by wiggling it out. He had sinusitis and pus from one nostril (smell was awful) - x ray showed decayed tooth - stayed at the vet's for two days and tooth was removed - back home now with a plug in the place the tooth was - lots of anti biotics - another x-ray two weeks on showed massive reduction in infection and all going well - back in two weeks to have plug changed.

Have never used a dentist on the basis that they can't treat a medical issue or dispense medication (as they can with people) and I don't really understand how they are trained or regulated, so no comment on dentist but the vet should be getting back to you!

 

[Zuzzie]

I understand that Equine Dentists are required to do a massive amount of training and pass exams whereas vets only do a minimal amount on teeth compared. Have you spoken to your Dentist? I would get an opinion from him before spending a huge amount of money.
My horse had a tooth removed a few years ago because it had gone rotten and had infected his sinus - just like ladyearl. He went into the local vets and had the tooth removed whilst under sedation standing. He spent a couple of days with them and came home having been supplied with loads of antibiotics. Unfortunately, the infection would not clear up despite them having taken samples of it to find out which bug they were trying to fight. He had a smelly snotty nostril for a few weeks and the vets were advising that he would have to come in and have a piece of bone under his eye removed so that they could get into the sinus and clean it out manually. The problem with this was that there was a possibility it could disfigure his face if he knocked it whilst recovering. I held off doing this and turned him away 24/7 instead whereupon the infection cleared up because he had his head down most of the time draining the gunk.
I would say, get another opinion first before you put your horse through something he may not need.

 

[ladyearl]

I understand that Equine Dentists are required to do a massive amount of training and pass exams whereas vets only do a minimal amount on teeth compared. Have you spoken to your Dentist? I would get an opinion from him before spending a huge amount of money.


Do they really? I honestly have never got a straight answer answer from anyone on this. A guy came to our yard a few years ago and said he was the only qualified dentist in Scotland but his qualifications came from USA? I have always been confused about this. Vets cover lots of things in brief when training but in reality teeth problems are apparently quite common so an experienced vet will usually have dealt with the situation before. Plus they do annual teeth rasps etc so will build on their knowledge as they go and have a more holistic view of the overall health of the horse.

Mind you I think "back in the day" your farrier used to rasp your horse's teeth too!

 

[Zuzzie]

Yes, the Equine Dentist that I use is highly qualified and it is true that some do extensive training in the USA. As far as I'm aware, vets do a short course in dentistry whilst training but when you compare this to the training of the specialist Dentist it is minimal. For instance, an E. Dentist will do
incisor realignments, molar extractions and molar overgrowth reductions where appropriate - they don't simply float off sharp edges. They aim to balance and rehabilitate the mouth and they will use power tools to achieve this - something I have yet to see a vet use. I would always use an E. Dentist in preference to a vet.

 

[alsiola]

For instance, an E. Dentist will do
incisor realignments, molar extractions and molar overgrowth reductions where appropriate - they don't simply float off sharp edges. They aim to balance and rehabilitate the mouth and they will use power tools to achieve this - something I have yet to see a vet use. I would always use an E. Dentist in preference to a vet.

Any half decent equine vet will do all of the above, plus be able to provide pain relief or antibiotics when appropriate, take x-rays to diagnose endodontic problems, perform extractions (legally), use sedation when appropriate.

 

[ladyearl]

Honestly not being awkward but is there a national body regulating dentists? What are the qualifications? I would happily use one if I understood the system and regulations.

Plus can they give sedation to extract teeth? Horse I am talking about just had a tooth extracted and it was days of wiggling it out under sedation. He needed x rays before and is still having them at regular intervals, surely this would all need a vet.

 

[ladyearl]

They aim to balance and rehabilitate the mouth and they will use power tools to achieve this - something I have yet to see a vet use.

Our vet did this under sedation for a horse on the yard last September.