Lesões na cavidade oral decorrentes de pontas excessivas de esmalte dentário em cavalos de tração em município do extremo oeste maranhense

Excessive enamel dental points, resulting from irregular tooth wear, are considered the most frequent disorder in equine dentistry. The objective was to evaluate the oral cavity of traction horses, diagnosing the excessive points of dental enamel on the premolars and molars, identifying the main injuries caused by them and their impacts. The procedures were carried out in the city of Imperatriz - MA, where 40 traction horses were evaluated. Information was collected from the owners, a general physical examination of the animals was carried out, followed by a dental evaluation and an evaluation of the entire oral cavity. The main clinical signs detected as indicative of dental irregularity were refusal of food offered, acceptance of only half of the amount of food provided, food falling out of the mouth during mastication, decreased lateral excursion of the mandible, refusal to use bits and loss of weight. In this way, it becomes evident that the evaluation of the oral cavity of horses is of great importance, since the presence of excessive points of dental enamel can cause lesions in the oral mucosa, which cause pain, alteration of the biomechanics of mastication, discomfort during work, a decrease in performance and, consequently, a decrease in the quality of life of these animals.