A Retrospective Study of the Effectiveness of Four Different Treatments of Periodontal Disease in Equine Cheek Teeth.

This study investigates the usefulness of four different treatments for periodontal disease in horses’ cheek teeth. The researchers found that three of the treatments significantly reduced pocket depth, a measure of disease severity, while the impact of the fourth was less concrete due to the small sample size.

Introduction and Objective

• The focus of this study was periodontal disease in equine cheek teeth, a condition which, if untreated, can result in tooth loss. This study aimed to address the lack of knowledge on how effective different treatment methods are at managing this condition. Specifically, this evaluation revolved around comparing the efficacy of four commonly used treatments in reducing periodontal pocket depth – a primary measure of the disease.

Methodology

• In order to provide a thorough comparison, the research took on a retrospective design. The four treatment methods compared were: (1) removal of feed material and lavage of the pocket with dilute chlorhexidine, followed by oral rinsing with chlorhexidine-containing mouthwash (CL); (2) the above process plus the placement of metronidazole into the pocket (M); (3) the previous two steps with the addition of a temporary filling in the diastema using polyvinyl siloxane (PVS); and (4) diastema widening to increase interdental space, then fitting a PVS filling (DW).
• The effectiveness of these treatments was evaluated by comparing pocket measurements taken before and 2-6 months after the treatment.

Results

• The results showed that treatment groups CL, M, and PVS all had statistically significant reductions in pocket depth after treatment – a key sign of successful treatment.
• The greatest average reduction was observed in the DW group, and was also the only group without any cases of increased pocket depth. However, these results weren’t considered significant due to the study’s small sample size.

Additional Analysis and Findings

• The study also looked at the effectiveness of treatments while considering for confounding factors, such as the initial pocket depth. After adjusting for these factors, the DW treatment was found to provide smaller improvements than the other treatments; this conclusion was still based on a small sample size.
• After accounting for these confounding factors, no significant differences were found between treatments CL, M, and PVS. However, all three of them were associated with significant reductions in pocket depth overall.

Conclusion

• In conclusion, periodontal disease in equine cheek teeth can significantly be reduced by employing the treatment methods discussed. However, the significant reduction attributed to the DW treatment method may be an overestimate due to the small sample size, and therefore requires further studies for better clarification and affirmation of its effectiveness.