What are power tools?

Power tools are mechanical instruments used to rasp the teeth in a similar way to hand tools. They offer more accuracy when trying to target specific areas of the tooth, as the functional head is a lot smaller than a hand tool. They are a necessary piece of equipment for equine dentistry and it is an absolute requirement of the BEVA accreditation that they are used during the assessed practical examination.  They are designed to avoid soft tissue injury (watch the video below for a demonstration on the use of power tools.

However, they are capable of removing more dental tissue in a shorter period of time than traditional hand tools, which is some instances can be harmful ( see ‘Regulation and the BAEDT’ ). Please ensure that any EDT you have to work on your horse, has had the correct training in the use of power tools, since a lack of regulation means that it is possible for anyone to buy power tools and start using them. We advise checking that your EDT is a member or student member of the BAEDT for this reason