Horse Dental Instruments

Horses' teeth continue to grow throughout their lives, and it is possible to tell a horse's age from the condition, angle and growing stage of the teeth. Generally, the teeth will not grow too long as the surface is constantly worn down by the grazing process, but the wear may be uneven.



Every owner should have their horse's teeth checked at least once a year, as problems with the teeth can lead to behavioral problems and difficulty eating. The check should be carried out by a veterinarian or equine dental technician, who will use a range of tools to assess and address the work.

  1. Mouth Gags

    • Every equine dentist will use a mouth gag. This is a device made from steel and leather that slips over the horse's head like a halter. The steel plate sits inside the horse's mouth to open the jaws, and allows the dentist a full view of the inside of the mouth. Many types of mouth gag are available. Some incorporate a ratchet system to open the horse's mouth artificially; others also double as a method of restraint.

    Floats or Rasps

    • The mainstay of an equine dentist's equipment, these long-handled rasps remove hooks and sharp edges that may otherwise rub on the the tongue. They are also used for evening out a tooth's surface. Dentists will have several sizes and grades in their equipment, and will work slowly to re-shape the tooth, periodically checking progress either manually or visually.

    Forceps and Elevators

    • Occasionally, horses may need to have teeth removed due to an accident or gum problems. The teeth of older horses also sometimes become loose and require removal. Horses also grow small vestigial pre-molars called "wolf teeth," which often cause problems with adjacent teeth and are removed. Traditionally, teeth were removed under general anaesthetic by using a hammer and chisel. These days a dentist will normally use extraction forceps to gradually ease the tooth loose. They will also use an elevator to push the gum back from the tooth as they perform the extraction.

    Dentistry Power Tools

    • Increasingly, dentists will use power-driven grinding tools to re-shape teeth. There has been some controversy over this, as it is easy to remove a large amount of tooth very quickly without taking the slow and steady approach required by manual rasping. However, many dentists now carry power grinders as part of their equipment and use them where there is a large area to be removed.