Summary

Equine odontoplasty is commonly called teeth floating, a dental procedure used to restore comfortable and effective chewing in horses by reducing sharp enamel points and abnormal overgrowths. Unlike humans and small animals, horses’ teeth erupt continuously throughout life to compensate for constant wear from grazing fibrous roughage. When portions of opposing teeth fail to contact—due to jaw movement limitations, diet, missing teeth, or uneven wear—sharp points, hooks, ramps, waves, or step mouth can develop and cause pain or poor mastication. Odontoplasty reshapes only the necessary enamel to restore normal tooth contact and jaw motion; over‑floating can damage living tooth tissue and shorten tooth life. The document emphasizes that floating should be based on a thorough veterinary oral exam, not just visible eating problems like quidding. Frequency varies by individual horse and may range from every few years to as often as every six months.