Brachygnathia in horses: 20 cases (1979-1989).

The research presents a review of 20 medical cases of horses diagnosed with brachygnathia, a condition characterized by the shortening of the mandible or maxilla, over a decade from 1979 to 1989. It analyzes the efficacy of applying premaxillary tension band devices surgically and highlights the importance of an early intervention for better results.

Study Design and Participants

• The study is retrospective in nature, examining past medical records from horses diagnosed with brachygnathia over a 10-year period (1979 to 1989).
• Out of the 20 horses, 18 were foals (young horses) and 2 were adult horses.
• The condition was found to be significantly more prevalent in males – 5.7 times more than females.

Findings and Treatment Outcomes

• The disparity in length between the mandible and premaxilla ranged significantly from 0.75 to 3 cm across the horses.
• Surgically applied premaxillary tension band devices were used as treatment on 16 foals.
• Of these, 13 were available for follow-up evaluation after treatment. All of the surgically treated animals displayed noticeable improvement in incisive occlusion (alignment of the front teeth).
• Six of the treated foals completely overcame the deformity, with the error range in their mandible-premaxilla length now being between 0.75 to 2.5 cm only.
• Complete malocclusion correction was more probable in foals treated at an age of 6 months or lower. The average correction in these cases was 1.5 cm (range, 0.75 to 2.5cm).
• Older foals treated between 7 to 12 months showcased comparatively lower average reduction in malocclusion at 0.6 cm (range, 0.25 to 1 cm).

Challenges and Complications

• A common complication observed post-surgery was implant failure, which occurred in 9 out of 13 foals that underwent surgical treatment.