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 Veteran
Posts: 173
 
Location: Wyoming- where its always windy! | Rockyroad - 2014-01-09 4:41 PM WY Can Chaser - 2014-01-09 4:09 PM While I know the difference between the two; I would like some more information/opinions from others. Pros and cons? Which do you prefer and why so? I am taking my horses in to have there teeth floated (my horses get their teeth done every year). I am using a different vet then I have used in the past and they are INSISTING on doing the power float; says the power floats are more efficient and that hand floats are basically a waste of money. My vet previous always just did the hand floats, said because I kept up on the maintenance that the power floats were not necessary. I have had a power float done on a couple of horses years ago and the outcome did not turn out the best. Thank you. First off, there are VERY FEW vets I would let touch my horses' mouths. If you are in WY, you have one of the best equine dentists in the country in your state. If you want information, let me know.
I would also love to know!
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
 
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | Definatly a hand float and I don't let vets near my horses mouth. ....MI have seen a lot of damage from happy trigger fingers |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 956
Location: Washington | I prefer power float, I never get the results I fully want from hand floats. I always end up having to go back sooner no matter who does them. But the guy we have do them knows what he is doing, there are only a couple people I trust with power floats. |
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 Special Somebody
Posts: 3951
Location: Finally horseback again.... | Nevertooold - 2014-01-09 5:54 PM It's all in the hands of the operator.
NTO is exactly right!!!
I used to prefer hand floats but after going to school for dentistry, I understand how big of a difference there is.
There are a few people left in the world that are actually very talented with hand floats. However, there are many more who do more damage to your horses mouth by tearing the tissue up and leaving the tables unlevel, protruding molars, ect.
Personally, I have had good and bad work done on both parts. I had a dentist do my first power float years ago and the horse didnt eat or was he able to close his mouth for a week. I have hand floats done to where only the first three molars were ever touched and the horses got progressively worse.
With a hand float, the lower 11 ( last molars) are very difficult to attend to and level.
The older generation of power tools were the ones that did over heat the teeth and take too much off the table surface. However, the newer tools are made to be used on only the teeth that need reduction. Your dentist/ vet is also able to keep his/her fingers around the tool to protect from cutting tissue or over heating. If it starts to get warm on your fingers, the person using the tool can feel it long before it is hot enough to cause damage.
That being said, any equine dental tech, vet, ect. should always let a client feel before after and during the work in my opinion. They should be able to pretty acurately tell you how your horse is riding just by the way the mouth is set, angles, and maloclussions. Without the client telling them in advance....
As far as keeping a horses mouth open, any dental person that is worth anything knows that a horse cannot keep his mouth open for extended periods of time no easier than we can. A horse should be allowed to close his mouth and drop his head to relax at numerous times during the procedure. I personally dont like to hang a horses head with a dental halter. I like to have a holder who holds the horses head at a normal level. This also prevents the poll and atlas from being strained or put out of alignment. and the horses mouth should be rinsed often to keep it moist during work and to remove residue from the floating process.
And finally to the question about cutting incisors. It is not about cutting the teeth down so that the molars come into occlusion. It is about creating the correct angle for the horse to have the movement posteriorly and anteriorly as well as laterally. The incisors are so often over looked by vets and some dentists simply because they are difficult to do and time consuming. But, if they float the molar tables and do not correct issues such as a wedge, a ventral or dorsal curvature ( smile or a frown) or an angle that is too steep. They are not balancing the mouth for optimum performance.
Every part of a horses mouth must be a correct angle to work properly. Molar tables at 18 degrees, incisors at 8-12 degrees.
Sorry this turned into a book, but this is something I am very passionate about.
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 Party Girl
Posts: 12293
Location: Buffalo, Wyoming | chasincans85 - 2014-01-10 1:17 AM Rockyroad - 2014-01-09 4:41 PM WY Can Chaser - 2014-01-09 4:09 PM While I know the difference between the two; I would like some more information/opinions from others. Pros and cons? Which do you prefer and why so? I am taking my horses in to have there teeth floated (my horses get their teeth done every year). I am using a different vet then I have used in the past and they are INSISTING on doing the power float; says the power floats are more efficient and that hand floats are basically a waste of money. My vet previous always just did the hand floats, said because I kept up on the maintenance that the power floats were not necessary. I have had a power float done on a couple of horses years ago and the outcome did not turn out the best. Thank you. First off, there are VERY FEW vets I would let touch my horses' mouths. If you are in WY, you have one of the best equine dentists in the country in your state. If you want information, let me know.
I would like to know as well. Thanks!! |
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Location: California | My husband has been doing hand floats for 30 years. Last year he floated some horses for a friend. She had the vet come out this year to check which horses needed to have their teeth done. He checked all the horses and indicated that the horses 5 horses needed to be done. He did not know that my husband did the other horses that the vet said were fine and didn't need to be done. She called my husband right away and had him come out to do the other 5. No sedation or blood. He's never had a problem even with horses that have never been done. He does my horses and my grey horse is the biggest pain in the ass, but is perfect with the hand tools. I will never use power tools on my horses or have to sedate them to float. The last time I had them done that way, they were balling their hay for a month. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1074
| I agree with Canchaser 1. I have my horse's teeth done every 6 months. I have NEVER seen a horse that doesn't need touch up work in 6 months. |
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Location: Tumbleweed Capital of the World | Rockyroad, I PM'd you. :)
After a bad experience with a vet floating my horse's teeth with power floats, I opted to never again use anything but hand floats. But I've heard you can only get a bit seat if you use power floats, and I think that's important. So I am anxious to find out who I can use here in Wyoming. :) |
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Special Somebody
Posts: 3951
Location: Finally horseback again.... | Blaine's mom - 2014-01-10 2:26 PM Rockyroad, I PM'd you. :)
After a bad experience with a vet floating my horse's teeth with power floats, I opted to never again use anything but hand floats. But I've heard you can only get a bit seat if you use power floats, and I think that's important. So I am anxious to find out who I can use here in Wyoming. :)
You can do bitseats with hand tools. It is done with a small shorter type float. |
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