Equine dentistry is a very physically demanding specialty which requires expensive instrumentation and extensive experience to achieve good results.  Motorized burring helps make equine dentistry easier and the results more precise.

Burring has brought my dentistry to a higher level because now I have a tool which allows me to shape the teeth exactly as I want them without expending a great deal of energy.  For instance, if I encounter a horse with a wave mouth where the high cheek teeth are overlong by 1/4" or less, the burr will take them down very quickly and properly align them with the rest of the arcade.  These teeth would be too short to use cutters on, and filing would take too long and require a great deal of physical effort.  

  Since I started using the burrs I find I can be much more precise because I do not tire out before the teeth are properly shaped.  I’ve also found that my float blades last much longer.  While the burrs do not eliminate the need for hand filing, they do reduce the amount of floating necessary to complete the dental.

  The Power Source - There are a number of flexible shaft rotary grinders available on the market today.  Many can be used in equine dentistry.  I prefer the Dremel Heavy-Duty, 1/5 HP Model with a 39" Flexible Shaft.  This unit is readily available and replacement parts are also easy to acquire.  It also has quick-change handles enabling the operator to put various burrs on their own separate handle and quickly change them as different parts of the mouth are attended to.

  The one disadvantage this unit has is that it is only 1/5 HP and may not hold up to vigorous use if the operator bears down on the tooth with too much pressure when burring.  However, my original unit has been in use for 4 years and is still operating well. 

  The low horse power of this unit can be an advantage as only minimal damage is done if the burr does catch any soft tissue.  With more powerful units, more severe soft tissue damage can be done if the cheek or tongue 

are caught by the burr and/or the cable on the unit can break.  This can be expensive to fix on some models. Also, a clutch may need to be custom-designed for these more powerful units so the burr will disengage if it encounters too much resistance.

Accessories - A complete burring kit will include 6 burrs and one cut-off wheel.  Each burr is used for different parts of the mouth. The cut off wheel is put on a 1/2" slender Dremel handpiece and is used for scoring incisors before reducing them with cutters.

  All of the burrs are diamond-cut and are used on a heavy duty 1" Dremel handpiece.  The 5/8" x 2" cylinder burr is used for finishing the incisors or for minor incisor reductions.  The 5/8" x 2" round burr is used for reducing large maxillary second premolar hooks.  The 1/2" x 2" round burr is excellent for small rostral hooks and for shaping bit seats. 

  The 4" extended burr is used with a burr guard to reduce overlong mandibular premolars.  The 6" extended burr is used with a high profile guard to reduce mandibular molars.  A second 6” extended burr is used with a low profile burr guard to allow excellent visibility and access when reducing overlong maxillary premolars and molars.

  More precise control can be obtained when reducing mandibular third molar hooks by using the available foot speed control to instantly start and stop the burr when necessary.

While burring does not eliminate the need for other dental instruments and floats, it does reduce the need for them.  All dentals must still be finished with hand floating but the end results are better and less tiring for the dentist.  Your clients will appreciate the results.  You will appreciate the lack of wear and tear on your body.

Good luck in your quest for healthier, more comfortable, top performing equine patients.