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  Discussion on Should I be concerned?
Author Message
Member:
Khomagic

Posted on Monday, Dec 1, 2003 - 1:34 pm:

I have a three year old who is loosing her second incisors on the bottom. I looked at her yesterday and the adult teeth that are coming in have pushed the third incisors out! She only has four teeth on the bottom now the primary incisors that she got last winter, and now these new ones. Should the third incisors still come in next year? I've had a few young horses and haven't noticed this before. But I know there is some variation between what your charts say and what actually happens.

This filly's dam, was a text book case on when and what teeth come in. She still has great teeth at age 10 it has been 4 years since I've had her teeth floated but I have them checked every year. My vet said her jaw comes together well so she isn't getting points.

Then I have a 2 1/2 year old colt (will be 3 in February.) who has just lost all four of his primary incisor baby teeth in the last week. LOL, Poor guy no wonder he's wanted to chew on everything. I was starting to wonder if they would ever come out. :-) this guy also had 4 wolf teeth, is that unusual?

Michelle
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Dec 1, 2003 - 6:54 pm:

Both my foals and my children teeth usually go through a very ugly stage. I see lots of weird horse deciduous/adult teeth that manage to straighten themselves out pretty well. Then again a good 5%of your membership fees go to my daughters orthodontist. However since your problem revolves around missing adult teeth there is not much to do but wait for them to appear.

Yes 4 wolf teeth would be unusual, are you sure you are not looking at the canines? There is a picture in the article » Care for Horses » Routine Care & Procedures » Equine Dentistry.
DrO
Member:
Mrose

Posted on Monday, Dec 1, 2003 - 10:10 pm:

I often wish I had an orthodontist for the young horses, but they all seem to re-arrange and realign by the time the horses are full adults. We've only had one that didn't. We had a 3 yr. old with a supernumerary front incissor that had to be surgically removed. The vet that did it had 3 other drs. observing because it was so unusual. We had one filly get a tooth caught on a wire of electric fence and lost it. She evidently bit the wire, got a shock, and pulled back. When she pulled back the wire caught on her tooth. It was, unfortuneatly her permenent tooth. She had a gape for awhile, but her teeth shifted and filled in the gap and you'd never know she was missing one unless you gave her a real through exam.
Member:
Imogen

Posted on Tuesday, Dec 2, 2003 - 2:10 am:

Don't forget the orthodontic obsession is *just a little* cultural - the rest of us non-North American residents get by without such expenditure except in severe cases however ugly you all may find it.

I pity the horses if it starts to extend beyond humans. I already pity the teenagers who have to suffer the most sensitive years of their lives surrounded by dental barbed wire.

All the best

Imogen
Member:
Khomagic

Posted on Tuesday, Dec 2, 2003 - 11:24 am:

I just thought it was weird that her third incissors on the bottom are missing too, I guess time will tell, I suspect they will come in. I'm not worried that they are crooked, this isn't the problem, I just thought it was strange that they popped the other teeth out too. This is the filly who is laid up with the Stifle injury so I'm glad I'm not riding her right now her mouth looks a little tender in front, not that she can't stand to loose some weight. Limited exercise has definatly put weight on her. I've cut down her feed as much as I dare she will just have to work it off as she gets back to normal.


As for the wolf teeth, I wasn't there when they pulled them but as he was only 18 months old then I don't think they could have been canine teeth. He just did loose his first incissors (all four at once.) He had the adult teeth looking like they were there for a couple of weeks and then all of a sudden all four baby teeth were gone. As much as he likes to chew on everything (stud colt) I'm surprised he didn't loose them before now.
Member:
Jjet

Posted on Tuesday, Dec 2, 2003 - 8:49 pm:

I had no idea there was such variation in horse dentition. All this detail we're exposed to is just so interesting, and may eventually become useful, for one of our own horses' dental situations.

Imogen, I love your posts, I wish you could have been part of my family, a cousin or an aunt at least. You are a treasure.
Member:
Mrose

Posted on Tuesday, Dec 2, 2003 - 9:06 pm:

Imogen-"Braces" as they are refered to here, are so common that some kids who don't need them want them to "fit in." Often, it has a lot more to do with bite then cosmetics. If a person's bite is off, it can cause other problems, like TMJ (Tempro Mandibular Joint problems.) headaches, etc. Sometimes, however, it is just cosmetic.
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