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Avoid the dentist that does this to your horse's teeth.
- Nick Moore DVM
- Jul 25
- 3 min read
When we talk about “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly,” it’s easy to think of the classic Clint Eastwood film. But in the world of equine dentistry, that phrase perfectly sums up the wide spectrum of dental care being performed on horses today—from excellent, thoughtful work to outdated, damaging, and even dangerous practices.
Why Equine Dentistry Deserves Serious Attention
Horse owners often assume their horse’s dental needs are being met, simply because they’ve hired someone they trust or someone recommended by a friend. The problem? A horse’s mouth is hidden from view. You can’t easily look in there and see what’s being done—or what’s being missed. That puts enormous trust in the hands of the dental provider, and unfortunately, not all of them are operating at the same standard.
Some practitioners float teeth entirely by feel, without using any form of visualization. They’re working blindly, without lights, mirrors, or endoscopy, and certainly without a thorough understanding of dental anatomy. You wouldn’t want your own dentist—or even your farrier—working that way. Why accept it for your horse?
Anatomy Basics: Understanding Horse Teeth
One of the biggest misconceptions in equine dentistry is the belief that horse teeth grow forever. That’s false. Horse teeth are more like the lead in a mechanical pencil. They have a finite reserve of tooth, and as it wears down from chewing, more erupts into the mouth. But once that reserve is gone—it’s gone for good.
This makes balanced wear absolutely critical. Uneven wear can cause premature tooth loss, expose the pulp, or create long-term health problems. The primary goal of good dentistry is to manage how that reserve crown wears, keeping it as uniform and symmetrical as possible.
The Role of Dentin and Why Overfloating Is Dangerous
Inside each tooth lies the pulp—the living part that contains blood vessels, nerves, and lymphatics. To protect this sensitive tissue, horses naturally lay down a layer of secondary dentin, which functions like a concrete barrier. When a horse chews and wears down the tooth surface, the body responds by laying more of this protective dentin.
However, aggressive or unskilled floating can grind straight through that protective layer, exposing the pulp to bacteria. This leads to pulpitis, tooth death, and often painful abscesses. Tragically, we see this all too often in horses that have been “floated” too aggressively by practitioners who either didn’t look, didn’t know, or didn’t care.
A Real Case: Damage from Overfloating
In the video associated with this post, we show a real-life case involving a young horse—just three years old—with a severely overfloated tooth. The pulp was exposed. The tooth had died. An abscess had formed and was draining pus into the mouth. We had to extract the tooth surgically, and due to the young age and limited jaw opening, we even had to split the tooth during the procedure.
All of this could have been prevented with proper, cautious, and informed dentistry.
Choosing the Right Provider
If you’re a horse owner, trainer, or manager, your takeaway should be this: Know who’s doing your horse’s dentistry.
Ask questions like:
Do they use visualization tools (lights, mirrors, scopes)?
Are they trained in dental anatomy?
Are they working alongside or under the supervision of a dental veterinarian?
Do they use a full range of senses—sight, touch, reasoning—not just guesswork?
Not all equine dental providers are created equal, and not all training programs are reputable. Some schools still teach outdated and aggressive techniques, even discouraging the use of visual tools or scientific reasoning. This puts your horse’s health at risk.
Final Thoughts
Equine dentistry is not a minor service—it’s a medical procedure that impacts your horse’s comfort, nutrition, longevity, and quality of life. We need to treat it with the seriousness it deserves.
Thanks to professionals like Dr. Sebastián Greco, whose anatomical dental models help explain these complex structures to clients, education is becoming more accessible. But it’s up to all of us—vets, techs, owners, and trainers—to demand better care and raise the bar for dental health.
Want to Learn More?
If you're a veterinary professional interested in expanding your knowledge in equine dentistry, we offer training courses on equilibration, diagnosis, endoscopic assessment, and more. You can always contact us at mooredvmeducation@gmail.com or call the office at 512-508-8141.
If you are an equine dental technician, we recommend attending the Academy of Equine Dentistry in Glenns Ferry, Idaho. Link below for more information!
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