Unlike humans, whose teeth grow to a certain size and remain that way forever, horses have teeth that grow continuously for the majority of a horse's life, up until age twenty-five or thirty. While ever-growing teeth may seem impractical for humans, it is an efficient system for a horse. Horses in the wild will graze most of the day, and the plants that they consume are often covered in a thin layer of dirt. This dirt and other sediment slowly wear away the teeth, usually in a fairly even manner making room for more teeth to grow in.

Unfortunately, one of the shortfalls of modern horse care is that horses have been removed from their natural conditions and are often fed types of feed that will not wear down the teeth as efficiently as the teeth were developed to.

What are the dangers of a horse's teeth wearing unevenly? Most of the time, these mis-worn teeth will develop into razor sharp hooks and cause plenty of discomfort to the horse. Often with the help of the halter, the cheek will be pressed against the tooth where it will be sliced into repeatedly. This can be very painful for the horse and an infection might develop over time.

If left unchecked, the uneven wear could eventually lead a horse to chew in an unnatural fashion that could, in the end, lead to a tooth that simply loosens and falls out. A horse missing teeth will of course be even more prone to wearing its teeth unevenly.

It is not possible to let your modern horse out to pasture for long period of time a day. So what is the solution for this? This is where we need the services of equine dentists. Using a rasp, either manually or by means of a power tool, an equine dentist will "float" your horse's teeth. The idea is that the sharp ridges and hooks that may have been created will be filed down, allowing the horse eventually to move its jaw in the correct manner and without pain.

The equine dentist will not file the horse's teeth until they are smooth however. The horse needs some contours to its teeth for proper chewing. The teeth will be filed to roughly the same length, and if a horse's canine tooth has grown too long, it may be filed as well. Sometimes, a tooth might grow too long to be filed. When this happens, the dentist will use a specialized tool to cut the unwanted portion. This task especially is best left to a professional to ensure that your horse's tooth will not shatter.

It is not difficult to spot a horse dental problem, you just have to observe how she chews and eats her food. If you notice your horse to be salivating more than usual, to eat very slowly, to drop un-chewed food from their mouths or who have feces with large pieces of food visible, it may be time to call in the equine dentist. If you are not sure where to locate a equine dentist in your city, you can ask your veterinarian or other horse owners for recommendation. In fact, many equine veterinarians are also skilled in equine dentistry.