title: The gold standard of dental care: the geriatric horse.
abstract: Changes in normal equine dental anatomy with age result in dental disease specific to the geriatric horse. The culmination of dental disease throughout the life of a horse often results in advanced dental disease. Treatment of specific dental disease conditions has to be adapted for older horses to compensate for reduction in reserve crown and occlusal enamel. Ensuring oral comfort and maximizing masticatory ability are the mainstays of geriatric dental treatment. Recognition of dental disease common to older horses ensures that correct treatment is applied. Older patients often require long-term management changes, such as dietary modification, to manage dental disease effectively.
authors.affiliation: Equine Veterinary Dentistry, PO Box 210, Tulbagh 6820, Western Cape, South Africa. equinevetdentist@gmail.com
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: du Toit
authors.forename: Bayard A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Rucker
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D003729:Dental Care / Q000592:standards / Q000662:veterinary*; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D006736:Horses; D009057:Stomatognathic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: Dental disease; Equine; Geriatric