AVDC Veterinary Dentistry cheat sheet

Tooth numbering: permanent dentition uses the Triadan system with 100-series maxillary and 200-series mandibular teeth; each quadrant runs 01 (central incisor) through 11 (third molar), and deciduous teeth use 500/600 series.

Normal permanent canine formula is 2(I3/3 C1/1 P4/4 M2/3) = 42 teeth; deciduous formula is 2(I3/3 C1/1 P3/3) = 28 teeth, so premolars and molars are replaced but incisors, canines, and first premolars are not.

Periodontal disease staging uses attachment loss: Stage 1 gingivitis only with no attachment loss; Stage 2 <25% attachment loss; Stage 3 25-50%; Stage 4 >50% attachment loss or furcation involvement.

Periodontal probing depth in dogs is normal up to about 1-3 mm depending on site; depths >3 mm in dogs or >1 mm in cats suggest attachment loss and warrant radiographs.

Dental radiography: bisecting-angle technique for maxillary teeth and parallel technique for mandibular premolars/molars; full-mouth series typically requires 8-10 intraoral films including occlusal views.

Extraction decision rule: teeth with >50% bone loss, Stage 3 mobility, or non-restorable crown-root fractures are candidates for extraction; vital pulp therapy or root canal is preferred for recent traumatic fractures in strategic teeth.

Local anesthesia: maxillary nerve block (0.1-0.2 mL per site) desensitizes the entire maxillary quadrant; inferior alveolar nerve block desensitizes mandibular teeth and requires care to avoid the mandibular artery.

Enamel hypoplasia and dentinogenesis imperfecta produce discolored, weak teeth; intrinsic staining (pink/purple) after trauma indicates pulp hemorrhage and possible pulp necrosis requiring vitality testing or treatment.

Equine dental formula: permanent 2(I3/3 C1/1 P3-4/3 M3/3) = 36-42 teeth; canines are usually absent or small in mares, and wolf teeth (PM1) are vestigial and often extracted.

Hypsodont teeth erupt continuously at roughly 2-3 mm per year and wear at a similar rate; clinical crown height and occlusal table anatomy change with age, allowing rough age estimation by eruption and wear patterns.

Age estimation: deciduous incisors erupt at birth to 2 weeks, permanent incisors at 2.5-4.5 years; dental star appears on incisors around 8-10 years and becomes more central with age.

Routine dental examination uses a full-mouth speculum, head light, dental mirror, and sedation; a dental pick and mirror assess the occlusal surface, and radiographs are needed for apical/sinus disease.

Common equine disorders include sharp enamel points, hooks (rostral maxillary and caudal mandibular), ramps, wave mouth, step mouth, and diastemata with secondary periodontal disease and feed packing.

Floating (odontoplasty) removes sharp enamel points using manual or power floats; over-reduction of crown height is avoided because it reduces reserve crown and can expose pulp.

Equine sinusitis and apical infection often present with unilateral nasal discharge and epiphora; periapical infection of maxillary cheek teeth (Triadan 06-10) can drain into the maxillary sinus.

EOTRH (equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis) mainly affects incisors and canines of older horses, causing gingival recession, bulbous roots, and pain; radiographs confirm resorption.

Tooth numbering: permanent dentition uses the Triadan system with 100-series maxillary and 200-series mandibular teeth; each quadrant runs 01 (central incisor) through 11 (third molar), and deciduous teeth use 500/600 series.

Normal permanent canine formula is 2(I3/3 C1/1 P4/4 M2/3) = 42 teeth; deciduous formula is 2(I3/3 C1/1 P3/3) = 28 teeth, so premolars and molars are replaced but incisors, canines, and first premolars are not.

Periodontal disease staging uses attachment loss: Stage 1 gingivitis only with no attachment loss; Stage 2 <25% attachment loss; Stage 3 25-50%; Stage 4 >50% attachment loss or furcation involvement.

Periodontal probing depth in dogs is normal up to about 1-3 mm depending on site; depths >3 mm in dogs or >1 mm in cats suggest attachment loss and warrant radiographs.

Dental radiography: bisecting-angle technique for maxillary teeth and parallel technique for mandibular premolars/molars; full-mouth series typically requires 8-10 intraoral films including occlusal views.

Extraction decision rule: teeth with >50% bone loss, Stage 3 mobility, or non-restorable crown-root fractures are candidates for extraction; vital pulp therapy or root canal is preferred for recent traumatic fractures in strategic teeth.

Local anesthesia: maxillary nerve block (0.1-0.2 mL per site) desensitizes the entire maxillary quadrant; inferior alveolar nerve block desensitizes mandibular teeth and requires care to avoid the mandibular artery.

Enamel hypoplasia and dentinogenesis imperfecta produce discolored, weak teeth; intrinsic staining (pink/purple) after trauma indicates pulp hemorrhage and possible pulp necrosis requiring vitality testing or treatment.

Equine dental formula: permanent 2(I3/3 C1/1 P3-4/3 M3/3) = 36-42 teeth; canines are usually absent or small in mares, and wolf teeth (PM1) are vestigial and often extracted.

Hypsodont teeth erupt continuously at roughly 2-3 mm per year and wear at a similar rate; clinical crown height and occlusal table anatomy change with age, allowing rough age estimation by eruption and wear patterns.

Age estimation: deciduous incisors erupt at birth to 2 weeks, permanent incisors at 2.5-4.5 years; dental star appears on incisors around 8-10 years and becomes more central with age.

Routine dental examination uses a full-mouth speculum, head light, dental mirror, and sedation; a dental pick and mirror assess the occlusal surface, and radiographs are needed for apical/sinus disease.

Common equine disorders include sharp enamel points, hooks (rostral maxillary and caudal mandibular), ramps, wave mouth, step mouth, and diastemata with secondary periodontal disease and feed packing.

Floating (odontoplasty) removes sharp enamel points using manual or power floats; over-reduction of crown height is avoided because it reduces reserve crown and can expose pulp.

Equine sinusitis and apical infection often present with unilateral nasal discharge and epiphora; periapical infection of maxillary cheek teeth (Triadan 06-10) can drain into the maxillary sinus.

EOTRH (equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis) mainly affects incisors and canines of older horses, causing gingival recession, bulbous roots, and pain; radiographs confirm resorption.

Tooth numbering: permanent dentition uses the Triadan system with 100-series maxillary and 200-series mandibular teeth; each quadrant runs 01 (central incisor) through 11 (third molar), and deciduous teeth use 500/600 series.

Normal permanent canine formula is 2(I3/3 C1/1 P4/4 M2/3) = 42 teeth; deciduous formula is 2(I3/3 C1/1 P3/3) = 28 teeth, so premolars and molars are replaced but incisors, canines, and first premolars are not.

Periodontal disease staging uses attachment loss: Stage 1 gingivitis only with no attachment loss; Stage 2 <25% attachment loss; Stage 3 25-50%; Stage 4 >50% attachment loss or furcation involvement.

Periodontal probing depth in dogs is normal up to about 1-3 mm depending on site; depths >3 mm in dogs or >1 mm in cats suggest attachment loss and warrant radiographs.

Dental radiography: bisecting-angle technique for maxillary teeth and parallel technique for mandibular premolars/molars; full-mouth series typically requires 8-10 intraoral films including occlusal views.

Extraction decision rule: teeth with >50% bone loss, Stage 3 mobility, or non-restorable crown-root fractures are candidates for extraction; vital pulp therapy or root canal is preferred for recent traumatic fractures in strategic teeth.

Local anesthesia: maxillary nerve block (0.1-0.2 mL per site) desensitizes the entire maxillary quadrant; inferior alveolar nerve block desensitizes mandibular teeth and requires care to avoid the mandibular artery.

Enamel hypoplasia and dentinogenesis imperfecta produce discolored, weak teeth; intrinsic staining (pink/purple) after trauma indicates pulp hemorrhage and possible pulp necrosis requiring vitality testing or treatment.

Equine dental formula: permanent 2(I3/3 C1/1 P3-4/3 M3/3) = 36-42 teeth; canines are usually absent or small in mares, and wolf teeth (PM1) are vestigial and often extracted.

Hypsodont teeth erupt continuously at roughly 2-3 mm per year and wear at a similar rate; clinical crown height and occlusal table anatomy change with age, allowing rough age estimation by eruption and wear patterns.

Age estimation: deciduous incisors erupt at birth to 2 weeks, permanent incisors at 2.5-4.5 years; dental star appears on incisors around 8-10 years and becomes more central with age.

Routine dental examination uses a full-mouth speculum, head light, dental mirror, and sedation; a dental pick and mirror assess the occlusal surface, and radiographs are needed for apical/sinus disease.

Common equine disorders include sharp enamel points, hooks (rostral maxillary and caudal mandibular), ramps, wave mouth, step mouth, and diastemata with secondary periodontal disease and feed packing.

Floating (odontoplasty) removes sharp enamel points using manual or power floats; over-reduction of crown height is avoided because it reduces reserve crown and can expose pulp.

Equine sinusitis and apical infection often present with unilateral nasal discharge and epiphora; periapical infection of maxillary cheek teeth (Triadan 06-10) can drain into the maxillary sinus.

EOTRH (equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis) mainly affects incisors and canines of older horses, causing gingival recession, bulbous roots, and pain; radiographs confirm resorption.

Tooth numbering: permanent dentition uses the Triadan system with 100-series maxillary and 200-series mandibular teeth; each quadrant runs 01 (central incisor) through 11 (third molar), and deciduous teeth use 500/600 series.

Normal permanent canine formula is 2(I3/3 C1/1 P4/4 M2/3) = 42 teeth; deciduous formula is 2(I3/3 C1/1 P3/3) = 28 teeth, so premolars and molars are replaced but incisors, canines, and first premolars are not.

Periodontal disease staging uses attachment loss: Stage 1 gingivitis only with no attachment loss; Stage 2 <25% attachment loss; Stage 3 25-50%; Stage 4 >50% attachment loss or furcation involvement.

Periodontal probing depth in dogs is normal up to about 1-3 mm depending on site; depths >3 mm in dogs or >1 mm in cats suggest attachment loss and warrant radiographs.

Dental radiography: bisecting-angle technique for maxillary teeth and parallel technique for mandibular premolars/molars; full-mouth series typically requires 8-10 intraoral films including occlusal views.

Extraction decision rule: teeth with >50% bone loss, Stage 3 mobility, or non-restorable crown-root fractures are candidates for extraction; vital pulp therapy or root canal is preferred for recent traumatic fractures in strategic teeth.

Local anesthesia: maxillary nerve block (0.1-0.2 mL per site) desensitizes the entire maxillary quadrant; inferior alveolar nerve block desensitizes mandibular teeth and requires care to avoid the mandibular artery.

Enamel hypoplasia and dentinogenesis imperfecta produce discolored, weak teeth; intrinsic staining (pink/purple) after trauma indicates pulp hemorrhage and possible pulp necrosis requiring vitality testing or treatment.

Equine dental formula: permanent 2(I3/3 C1/1 P3-4/3 M3/3) = 36-42 teeth; canines are usually absent or small in mares, and wolf teeth (PM1) are vestigial and often extracted.

Hypsodont teeth erupt continuously at roughly 2-3 mm per year and wear at a similar rate; clinical crown height and occlusal table anatomy change with age, allowing rough age estimation by eruption and wear patterns.

Age estimation: deciduous incisors erupt at birth to 2 weeks, permanent incisors at 2.5-4.5 years; dental star appears on incisors around 8-10 years and becomes more central with age.

Routine dental examination uses a full-mouth speculum, head light, dental mirror, and sedation; a dental pick and mirror assess the occlusal surface, and radiographs are needed for apical/sinus disease.

Common equine disorders include sharp enamel points, hooks (rostral maxillary and caudal mandibular), ramps, wave mouth, step mouth, and diastemata with secondary periodontal disease and feed packing.

Floating (odontoplasty) removes sharp enamel points using manual or power floats; over-reduction of crown height is avoided because it reduces reserve crown and can expose pulp.

Equine sinusitis and apical infection often present with unilateral nasal discharge and epiphora; periapical infection of maxillary cheek teeth (Triadan 06-10) can drain into the maxillary sinus.

EOTRH (equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis) mainly affects incisors and canines of older horses, causing gingival recession, bulbous roots, and pain; radiographs confirm resorption.

Tooth numbering: permanent dentition uses the Triadan system with 100-series maxillary and 200-series mandibular teeth; each quadrant runs 01 (central incisor) through 11 (third molar), and deciduous teeth use 500/600 series.

Normal permanent canine formula is 2(I3/3 C1/1 P4/4 M2/3) = 42 teeth; deciduous formula is 2(I3/3 C1/1 P3/3) = 28 teeth, so premolars and molars are replaced but incisors, canines, and first premolars are not.

Periodontal disease staging uses attachment loss: Stage 1 gingivitis only with no attachment loss; Stage 2 <25% attachment loss; Stage 3 25-50%; Stage 4 >50% attachment loss or furcation involvement.

Periodontal probing depth in dogs is normal up to about 1-3 mm depending on site; depths >3 mm in dogs or >1 mm in cats suggest attachment loss and warrant radiographs.

Dental radiography: bisecting-angle technique for maxillary teeth and parallel technique for mandibular premolars/molars; full-mouth series typically requires 8-10 intraoral films including occlusal views.

Extraction decision rule: teeth with >50% bone loss, Stage 3 mobility, or non-restorable crown-root fractures are candidates for extraction; vital pulp therapy or root canal is preferred for recent traumatic fractures in strategic teeth.

Local anesthesia: maxillary nerve block (0.1-0.2 mL per site) desensitizes the entire maxillary quadrant; inferior alveolar nerve block desensitizes mandibular teeth and requires care to avoid the mandibular artery.

Enamel hypoplasia and dentinogenesis imperfecta produce discolored, weak teeth; intrinsic staining (pink/purple) after trauma indicates pulp hemorrhage and possible pulp necrosis requiring vitality testing or treatment.

Equine dental formula: permanent 2(I3/3 C1/1 P3-4/3 M3/3) = 36-42 teeth; canines are usually absent or small in mares, and wolf teeth (PM1) are vestigial and often extracted.

Hypsodont teeth erupt continuously at roughly 2-3 mm per year and wear at a similar rate; clinical crown height and occlusal table anatomy change with age, allowing rough age estimation by eruption and wear patterns.

Age estimation: deciduous incisors erupt at birth to 2 weeks, permanent incisors at 2.5-4.5 years; dental star appears on incisors around 8-10 years and becomes more central with age.

Routine dental examination uses a full-mouth speculum, head light, dental mirror, and sedation; a dental pick and mirror assess the occlusal surface, and radiographs are needed for apical/sinus disease.

Common equine disorders include sharp enamel points, hooks (rostral maxillary and caudal mandibular), ramps, wave mouth, step mouth, and diastemata with secondary periodontal disease and feed packing.

Floating (odontoplasty) removes sharp enamel points using manual or power floats; over-reduction of crown height is avoided because it reduces reserve crown and can expose pulp.

Equine sinusitis and apical infection often present with unilateral nasal discharge and epiphora; periapical infection of maxillary cheek teeth (Triadan 06-10) can drain into the maxillary sinus.

EOTRH (equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis) mainly affects incisors and canines of older horses, causing gingival recession, bulbous roots, and pain; radiographs confirm resorption.