Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Pathological studies of cheek teeth apical infections in the horse: 4. Aetiopathological findings in 41 apically infected mandibular cheek teeth.
- Journal:
- Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)
- Year:
- 2008
- Authors:
- Dacre, I T et al.
- Affiliation:
- The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies · United Kingdom
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
In a study of 41 horses with infected lower cheek teeth, researchers looked closely at the teeth that had no clear reason for the infections. They used various imaging techniques and examined the teeth under a microscope. They found that in some cases, the infection was recent, and the inner part of the tooth (the pulp) was still alive, while in more advanced cases, the pulp was damaged or filled with decayed tissue or food. Interestingly, in most of the teeth, no obvious way for the infection to start was found, suggesting that these infections might have developed without a clear cause. The study concluded that while some teeth had fractures that could lead to infection, many did not show a direct route for the infection to occur.
Abstract
Examination of 41 extracted, apically infected mandibular cheek teeth (CT) without obvious causes of infection included radiography, computerised axial tomography and decalcified and undecalcified histology. In CT with recent infections, some pulps remained viable, with proliferative soft and calcified tissue changes confined to the apex. With more advanced CT infections, occlusal pulpar exposure was sometimes present (in 34% of the 41 CT), some infected pulp chambers were filled with necrotic pulp or food, and extensive destructive or proliferative changes were present in the calcified apical tissues. No physical route of infection to the apex was found in 24 CT (59%) that consequently were believed to have anachoretic infections. Fractures involving pulps, including fissure fractures between the clinical crown and infected pulps, were found in eight (20%) CT. Some CT had vertical, full length periodontal destruction between the infected apex and the gingival margin that were believed to be the route of infection in four (19%) CT and dysplastic changes were believed to have caused one (2%) infections.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19019712/