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Dental Examination
Complete Physical
Exam: All dental procedures should
begin with a complete physical examination. The mouth is a small
part of the body, but it's health has a dramatic influence on all other
body systems. Dentistry is usually performed under sedation; therefore, the
cardiovascular status of all horses should be evaluated before any
dental procedure. Senior horses or those with questionable health
status may require diagnostic testing (Blood Testing, ECG, Heart
Ultrasound, etc.) before proceeding.
Dental Examination of the equine mouth
requires both a visual examination and a tactile
examination. Examining a horse's mouth is like looking down a 5"
tube that is 16" long.
Visual examination requires a Full Mouth Speculum
and a strong light source. The speculum is a vice that
holds the mouth open (Horses can't say AHH!), so that the dentist can
see the teeth and other oral tissues.
Since the mouth is a tunnel, all of the oral tissue can
not be adequately visualized and the dentist will discover unseen
problems by palpating the oral tissues with his finger. (Tactile Exam.)
The dentist may use mirrors and picks during the exam to
diagnose dental problems.
Charting:
The Dental Chart is a medical record, just like a Surgery
Report, used to document a professional procedure. All dental professionals use a
dental chart to document the patient's history, examination findings,
anesthetic events, diagnoses, treatments, and aftercare plan.
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