Accessibility Statement

Dentistry

Signs of dental issues

Signs of dental problems or needs include abnormal chewing or loss of feed, excessive salivation, or undigested feed noted in manure. Owners may notice a loss of weight or condition, changes in behavior in bridle while riding, increased head tossing, a bad odor from the mouth or an abnormal swelling of the head or jaw. We recommend yearly oral examinations to check for any potential dental issues.

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Oral Exams

A complete oral examination with an oral speculum is performed. The teeth, gums, tongue, and jaw are examined for any abnormalities. Common dental problems that we encounter are sharp enamel points on teeth leading to ulceration of cheek and tongue, abnormal wear of the teeth, lost or broken teeth, periodontal disease, oral tumors, or foreign objects in the oral cavity.

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Power Float

Our dental equilibration is performed under sedation by one of our veterinarians after a thorough dental examination. Maintenance and any dentition corrections are made with dental floats (power float) and other specific dental tools as needed.