Canines
And Bit Seats
by Larry Kimberlin DVM
In this article we are going to stay in the front of the mouth and
talk about a group of teeth that the horse doesn’t need and
a set of teeth that if handled properly can make a larger influence
than most other dental procedures on the performance and comfort of
the performance horse.
The
first teeth that we are going to cover are the teeth that the modern
horse does not need. These are the canine teeth. These are the long
pointed teeth that you will see between the incisors and the first
cheek teeth. The canine teeth have sometimes been referred as the
“fighting” teeth as this seems to be their only use. Stallions
use these teeth to bite and fight with their adversaries.
There
are two pairs, an upper(maxillary) and lower(mandibular). They are
not always present in both pairs- sometimes only one pair is present
and occur in only 25-30% of mares. They erupt at about 4 years of
age.
The
problem with canines is that they crowd the front of the mouth when
you are trying to put the bit in. They are the most likely teeth to
build tartar and can sometimes cause ulcers and sores on the tongue.
When the equine dentist works on the mouth we usually burr these teeth
down and round and polish the edges. It makes it much more comfortable
for working in the mouth – such as bitting and giving meds and
wormers.
The
pictures below shows a horse with canines before and after reduction.
Note the ulcers on this horse's tongue caused by trapping of the tongue
against the canines.
The
other topic that I described was the “bit seat”. A bit
seat refers to rounding of the leading edge of the first cheek teeth.
The first cheek tooth actually refers to the second premolar (the
wolf tooth is the first premolar and remember we remove them to allow
comfort with the bit).
These
teeth have sharp leading edges that come in contact with the bit when
in the mouth. By rounding the edge and sloping the tooth toward the
gum slightly, it makes the bit “seat” more comfortably
in the mouth. It also reduces the pinch that occurs in the side of
the mouth where rein pulls against this area. The application of a
bit seat seems to provide a great deal of difference in the handling
and acceptance the bit to the majority of horses.
Most
people that compete on their horse, such as barrel racers, have begun
to expect a bit seat on the routine performance dentistry. The pictures
below illustrate the shape of the upper and lower teeth after the
bit seat:
These
teeth are often overlooked by horse owners, but attention to them
can make a big difference in the comfort of the horse and, in the
end, the rider.
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