Equine Dentition

All horses have in their adult teeth 40 and 36 horse teeth.Distribution:12 incisors, 6 upper, 6 lower, 4 canines (absent in female), 24 molar distributed equally in both arches.In the first teeth (milk) are born with the tongs first few days after birth or even before, then the average between 4 and 6 weeks and the corners between 6 and 8 months.The colt has only 24 teeth, all deciduous incisors and 12 molars and 12.The milk teeth leads to the two and a half years, beginning to be exchanged in the same order they appeared. After the emergence of permanent teeth, the horse (around 5 years old) is then considered an adult animal.

Skeleton of the horse's jaw:


                                          


How to tell the age?At the stage of permanent teeth, the teeth are shaped and curved root becomes increasingly narrow and slanted, with tooth wear. At the end of the free there is a hole, the dental turbinate, which fades over time. After some time, there is a small brown spot, called star roots.At six years old, the clamps of the lower jaw are already being used three years ago, so the enamel tooth and the table already appears (the end of the free) has an oval shape.At eight years old, and all the lower corners of the lower incisors are flatand ovulated.

LOwer jaw - 6 Years

Lower jaw - 7 years

Lower jaw - 8 Years

At nine, the upper grippers are smooth and ovulate.At ten years, it is the turn of the superior medium are showing such signs.At eleven are the top corners that are so smooth and ovulated.

Top Jaw - 9 Years

Top Jaw - 10 Years

Top Jaw - 11 Years

At twelve years begins to be an alteration of the enamel that disappears and shows the star tooth, with rounded forceps.At thirteen, the middle and lower clamps to become rounded.At fourteen, only the star root in all lower incisors and all the teeth are rounded.

Lower Jaw - 12 Years

Lower Jaw - 13 Years

Lower Jaw- 14 Years

At fifteen, the tongs just above the star root.At sixteen, the higher average only have the star root.At seventeen years, all upper incisor show the star lattice and are rounded.

Lower Jaw - 15 Years

Lower Jaw- 16 Years

Lower Jaw - 17 Years

Thus, it is then possible, by observing the wear of the teeth of the horse to determine its age. The technique is there, explains step by step, but to say with certainty the age of the animal, only with much practice.