Aging Horses & Their Sets of Teeth
Like most mammals horses have two sets of teeth during their life. Deciduous teeth (baby teeth) make way for a more comprehensive and fuller set of permanent (adult) teeth.
A horse is born with premolars 6, 7 and 8 on its top and bottom jaw.
In its 1st week its central incisors are present
At 6 weeks the lateral incisors are present
At 6 months the corner incisors are present
Between 2½ and 4½ years old the horse will shed these deciduous teeth making way for stronger permanent teeth that will last for the remainder of the horse’s life.
Shedding Patterns
DECIDUOUS TEETH PERMANENT TEETH OCCLUSION TIMES (OF PERMANENT TEETH) INCISORS
Centrals birth- first week 2 ½ years 3 years
Middle 4-6 weeks 3 ½ years 4 years
Corner 6-9 months 4 ½ years 5 years
CANINES Absent 4-5 years if ever n/a
WOLF TEETH Absent 5-6 months if ever n/a
PREMOLARS
6’s Birth-2 weeks 2 ½ years 3
7’s Birth-2 weeks 3 years 3½
8’s Birth-2 weeks 4 years 4½
MOLARS
9’s Absent 1 year 2
10’s Absent 2 years 3
11’s Absent 3 years 4
Premolar and molar teeth
After 5 years all teeth should be in occlusion within the horse’s mouth. After this age the occlusal surface of the incisor teeth on the lower jaw can be used to age horses. To do this we need to understand the structure of incisor teeth from root to occlusal surface.
Age is easy to determine whist deciduous teeth are making way to permanent ones. After this numerous characteristics help us to do this. By looking at the angles of the occluding teeth, shape of the occlusal surface, and sequential shapes on the occlusal surface we can determine horses’ age. To do this we need to know what happens and when to these incisor teeth.
Structure of an Equine Tooth
Between 5 and 8 years horses corner incisors can form a hook on the occlusal surface. This gradually disappears.
This diagram is a cross section of an incisor tooth and pertaining images of the occlusal surface at different ages
The lower half is filled with cement. When the cup disappears around 8 years of age and the cement can be seen it is called the mark.
As the horse ages the pulp cavuty becomes the only distinguishing feature on the table of the incisors.
it moves from the edge of the tooth towards the middle as the tooth is worn away through the years
It becomes less elongated in shape and becomes circular as the tooth is worn away
The Galvayne’s groove is a shallow groove on the outer surface of the tooth. It appears at the gum line at 10 years of age and extends down the tooth over time. At 20 years it starts to disappear from the top of the tooth, working its way towards the occlusal surface. By 30 it’s usually completely gone.
The incisors also change in shape as horses’ age.
By: Tammy Patterson
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Tammy is a avid horse rider who loves to advertise the correct ways to be treating horses. Tammy works part time for a company who specialise in supplying equine dental tools as well as Equine dentistry Rasp in the UK. For more info, please visit, equinedentistryblades.co.uk
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