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Equine Dentistry: Surgical Trends in 2021

Equine Dentistry involves the study, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of dental problems and disorders in horses. Regular dental care is required to improve your horse ability to eat and prevent any kind of tooth decay and damage. Equine teeth are different than small animals and people. As the horse gets old, the teeth start to wear down. This is a very normal process in equines and it requires frequent dental check-ups and treatment. According to Dr. Clare Panning, A traveling veterinarian, Equine teeth grow continuously throughout their lifetime. Unlike human or small animal teeth, they do not stop at a specific length. If they aren’t treated surgically, they can cause various abnormalities to develop inside the oral cavity. It will cause obvious issues like weight loss, feed drop, and bit sensitivity.

There are various dental disorders in horses that lacked proper treatment and the necessary surgical instruments. The disorders and diseases in equine oral cavities are way more complex than in small animals. So after thorough research and experimentation, new surgical approaches and highly functional instruments are being used specifically in equine dental care. These issues are now being addressed with advanced care including new surgical techniques, new and improved equipment, diagnostic imaging, and a more in-depth understanding of the horse’s teeth. This has made several complex dental procedures more pragmatic and efficient over the past years. This progress has helped horse owners all over the world. Root canals and fillings for horses are introduced. If the tooth becomes damaged due to any injury, trauma, or overzealous floating then decay will set in causing discomfort and pain. This issue can be addressed by root canal surgery.

Dental implants for horses have been introduced. Dentists are using 3D technology for creating perfect and exact equine teeth for the replacement. The extraction procedures have also been enhanced. Using less invasive procedures and highly functional tools. Procedures like this are being used in research centers and many private clinics around the world. The use of power tools is also being experimented on many levels. These equine dentistry tools lack many things that are not suitable to carry out a dental surgery smoothly. These tools are very expensive and are not available for small-level practitioners. They require the horse to be sedated while surgery and everyone know that tranquilizers and anesthesia can be very risky. They also pose heat damage to the teeth and there is also a fat chance of harm being done due to inexperience and tools’ complex structure.

Advancements and Variations in Equine Dental Instruments

These dental instruments are widely used for Equine Dentistry surgical procedures. These instruments are now being manufactured and crafted according to the surgical requirements of the surgeons. The instruments are now customized according to different surgical scenarios. Multiple variations of these instruments are created to accommodate various surgical procedures. The common types of instruments being used in horse dental care are listed below.

Equine Dental Elevators

Removing equine teeth is a very tedious task and to achieve that equine dentists use various surgical elevators. These elevators have perfect handle grips and sharp working ends that sever through the periodontal ligament. These elevators loosen up the tooth so it can be easily removed with forceps. Offset Elevator and Winged Luxating Elevators are commonly used in equine dental procedures.

Equine Dental Forceps

These surgical tools are used in equine dental extraction procedures. They have strongly built jaws and are used to extract teeth after they have loosened up with the help of elevators. These surgical forceps are now introduced in various types and variations to assist different surgical scenarios. Pony Forceps, Hewson Forceps, Wolf Tooth Forceps, etc. are specially introduced for equine teeth extraction.

Equine Dental Explorers and Probes

Equine Dental Probes and Explorers are crafted in various shapes and styles to measure the depth of tooth cavities and to diagnose different abnormalities in teeth. These instruments are specifically designed to fit equine dental procedures.
There are also a lot of other specialized equine instruments such as dental cutters, spreaders, trephines, curettes, gouges, dental mallets, chisels, retractors, and rongeurs. All these instruments are getting advanced upgrades and new variations every day. The progress being made in equine dental surgery methods is impressive and noteworthy. These signs of progress have enabled equine dentists to perform complex surgeries more efficiently.

Where to Buy Equine Dental Surgical Instruments?

GerVetUSA is a surgical instrument company providing a comprehensive and wide range of equine dental instruments to equine dentists and practitioners all over the world. We have crafted every necessary and latest surgical equipment that is being used in dental procedures these days. Our technical team keeps the quality check and performance tests every instrument before shipping. You can also order a customized instrument by sending us the exact specifications and manufacturing details of the instrument. Feel free to contact us in case of any queries and questions.