Technical Papers and Presentations

Like humans, horses can develop a variety of dental problems. Different equine diseases occur in different areas of the equine cheek tooth or its surrounding tissues. With a realistic simulation of a chewing cycle it can be possible to link mechanical phenomena such as high stress in distinct areas to commonly occurring diseases.

According to different angles of the acting chewing force, areas of high stress occur around the roots and at the conical end of the PDL. Infections in these areas are frequently seen in equine cheek teeth and can lead to dental extractions. Use of motorised equipment to rasp the tooth surface can influence the stress distribution in the PDL during chewing.