Equine Dental Scalers & Probes

Equine Dental Scalers & Probes

Periodontal disease in horses is found before it is treated, and both stages need the right instrument. Velmourne's equine dental scalers and probes are built for that work: working ends fine enough to read a pocket accurately, shafts long enough to reach the caudal arcades, and grip handles that stay secure when wet.

The range covers scalers, explorers, banded probes, Gracey curvettes and periodontal forceps — individually and as complete sets.

Diagnosis Comes First

Diastemata between the cheek teeth trap forage, and the resulting periodontal pockets are painful long before they are visible. Accurate probing is what turns a routine float into treatment that actually addresses the problem:

• Pocket depth measured rather than estimated, so change can be tracked between visits
• Caries, fractures and surface irregularities detected by feel where sight cannot reach
• Impacted forage located and removed before it drives further bone loss
• Findings recorded consistently, giving you a baseline for the next examination

Probes and Explorers

• Banded Probe — banding lets you read pocket depth directly rather than judging it. The instrument that turns an impression into a measurement.
• Fine Point Dental Explorer — fine tip for detecting caries, fracture lines and surface irregularities during examination.

Scalers

Different deposits need different working ends. Heavy calculus needs a scaler with enough body to shift it; fine detailing in a tight interproximal space needs a narrower head.

• Sickle Scaler — the larger curved hook, for removing supragingival deposits where there is bulk to remove. 43 cm overall.
• Small Hook Dental Scaler — finer head for precision work and areas the sickle cannot reach cleanly.
• Gracey Curvette, Onside — angled head for subgingival access on the near side.
• Gracey Curvette, Offside — the matching pattern for the off side. Both sides are needed for full coverage; one alone leaves half the mouth awkward.

Periodontal Treatment

• Periodontal Forceps — 41 cm, with a double-axis scissor mechanism that grips packed forage firmly enough to draw it out of a pocket or diastema in one piece.
• Equine Needle Pick — for diastema picking and exploring, where a forceps is too broad to enter.

Complete Sets

• Periodontal Instrument Set — scalers, probes and picks in a zip-up wallet. Everything the examination stage requires.
• Periodontal Instrument Set with Forceps — the same set with periodontal forceps included, so diagnosis and treatment travel together.

Building a Set

Most practices start with a banded probe, an explorer and one scaler — enough to examine properly and deal with what you find on the surface. Gracey curvettes follow when subgingival work becomes routine, and periodontal forceps when diastemata are a regular finding rather than an occasional one. If you are equipping from scratch, a complete set costs less than assembling the same instruments individually.

Every instrument carrying the Velmourne name is stainless steel with a super-grip handle and is checked before dispatch. There is no minimum order — buy one instrument or fit out a practice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a scaler and a probe?

A probe measures and examines — pocket depth, surface irregularities, the extent of a diastema. A scaler removes deposits. Diagnosis first, then treatment.

Why is a banded probe better than a plain one?

The bands give you a reading rather than an impression, so pocket depth can be recorded and compared at the next visit. That is how you tell whether a case is improving.

Do I need both the onside and offside Gracey curvette?

Yes, if you intend to work both sides of the mouth properly. The angled heads mirror each other; using one instrument for both sides means compromising your approach on one side.

What are periodontal forceps used for?

Removing forage packed into periodontal pockets and diastemata between the cheek teeth. The double-axis mechanism holds the material firmly enough to extract it whole rather than breaking it up.

Are equine scalers different from small animal scalers?

Yes. Equine instruments are considerably longer to reach the caudal arcades, and heavier in the working end because equine calculus and the forces involved are on a different scale.

Should I buy a set or individual instruments?

A set is more economical if you are equipping from scratch, and the wallet keeps everything together in the vehicle. Individual instruments make sense when replacing a worn one or filling a gap.

What steel are they made from?

Stainless steel throughout, hardened and passivated so the working end holds its edge through repeated autoclaving.

Do you ship outside the UK?

Yes — we despatch worldwide from Leicester.