Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Fixing jaw bone gaps and bad bites in two dogs with bone grafts
By Boudrieau, R J et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·1994·Department of Surgery, United States·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Correction of mandibular nonunion and malocclusion by plate fixation and autogenous cortical bone grafts in two dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old mixed-breed dog and a 7-year-old Labrador were treated for severe jaw misalignment caused by nonhealing fractures in their lower jaws. Both dogs underwent surgery where doctors used pieces of their own rib or ulna bone to fill the gaps and secured everything with plates and screws. After the surgery, the bone grafts successfully healed and integrated with the dogs' jawbones over the course of a year. The dogs showed signs of improvement, and their jaw alignment was corrected, allowing them to eat and function normally again.
People also search for: dog jaw misalignment treatment · dog fractured jaw surgery · dog bone graft recovery
Abstract
Two dogs were treated for severe malocclusion secondary to segmental defects in the mandibular bodies as a result of nonhealing mandibular fractures. The problems of fibrous nonunions with large fracture gaps, the potential for infection, and the severe malocclusion were addressed in considering definitive surgical correction. The segmental defects in both dogs were spanned by use of autogenous cortical grafts (full-thickness rib segments or full cortical diaphyseal ulnar segments), supplemented with autogenous cancellous graft, and were stabilized with screw-and-plate fixation. Radiographic evaluation of bone healing and graft incorporation was difficult because of the implants, which obscured full observation of the bone graft sites. Successful graft revascularization, determined by 99mradiophosphate localization, was shown in both dogs; fairly uniform isotope uptake was observed throughout the graft sites and was continuous with the recipient bone. Mildly increased uptake was observed at 6 months and at 1 year after surgery and was considered consistent with remodeling associated with fracture healing. Observation of complete graft revascularization within 1 year provided ample evidence that the autografts were incorporated, with sufficient remodeling to characterize bone union.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8175469/