Thank you to Dr Allen for his contribution to the site.
  | Historical Highlights Power instrumentation were introduced back in the early 1900’s when horses were our main source of transportation. Little did our ancestors know that the Dental Engine was only the beginning of the vast power instrumentation made. Many “new” terms can be found in literature from the late 1800’s early 1900’s, but they were not popular for several decades — after the advent of internal combustion engine-driven vehicles.  |
.jpg.opt372x315o0,0s372x315.jpg) | I make use of water irrigation whilst using my instruments. |
It is true that, in the hands of experienced equine dental practitioners, power dental instruments have been used for over 15 years in horses without evidence of damage as a result. It is also interesting to note that in a text written in the early 1900’s, a foot-peddle-powered drill for grinding horses’ teeth when dentistry was being performed on our main source of transportation.
Undoubtedly, one could cause damage with these instruments, as with any method of performing dental care, but the likelihood decreases with the use of good judgment, precision and common sense. It is also true that power instruments have been in use for a long time in human dentistry, which of course deals with much smaller teeth, which could be damaged much more rapidly than a massive horse tooth, yet the problem is rare even in our own teeth. We would be unappreciative if our own dentist reverted back to using outdated, un-mechanized dental instruments complete with an ether sedative or a swallow of bottled spirits, no local anesthetic and assistants to hold us down so dental procedures could be performed. I submit that many more years of life are taken from horses everywhere due to lack of dental care than from accidents occurring as a result of dental care. How many horses destined for a “Black Beauty” lifestyle, had the fortunate opportunity to experience good dentistry to turn their behavior problems around? Too few!
About Dr Allen.
Dr. Allen received his B.S. in Animal Science from Texas A & M University and his D.V.M. from the University of Missouri in 1973. He has been involved in many different aspects of Equine Practice from racetrack to rural. For the past several years his practice has been limited to Equine Dentistry. Dr. Allen incorporates the use of sedatives/analgesics, reversal pharmaceuticals and power dental equipment to provide relief to horses with dental malocclusions.
Tom Allen, D.V.M.
Is licensed in
Dr. Allen provides dentistry for 30 to 50 horses weekly and has presented through seminars, demonstrations and events to a variety of groups, the opportunity to learn more about dentistry-illustrating the advantages of this long-overlooked aspect of horse health care. He is also the author of a book on the subject and many articles.
The Manual of Equine Dentistry,
published by Elsevier Science, authored by Dr. Allen; illustrated by Dawn Sperry-Allen
Certified by the IAED IAED/C
Dr. Allen has received Certification through the IAED, an association composed of veterinarians and equine dental technicians who are striving to develop standards of performance that are expected to gain international recognition.
