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Veterinary sciences2022; 9(7); 348; doi: 10.3390/vetsci9070348

Equine Incisor Lesions: Histologic Confirmation of Radiographic, Macroscopic, and Micro-Computed Tomographic Findings.

Abstract: Equine Odontoclastic Tooth Resorption and Hypercementosis (EOTRH) and other incisor lesions are often diagnosed only in advanced stages. The incisors of 20 horses were examined radiographically, macroscopically, and via micro-computed tomography (µCT) to discriminate EORTH-affected teeth. Five categories from healthy to severely affected teeth were formed and teeth from each category were examined histologically to evaluate the opportunity of earlier radiographic diagnosis. Histologically, odontoclastic resorptive lesions, leukocytic infiltrations, and areas of irregular cementum and granulation tissue were observed. The extent and severity of histological findings were correlated to the µCT data. Micro-CT imaging was suitable to detect subtle irregularities in the dental substances which were referred to as resorptive lesions. Although histological examinations confirmed the presence of resorptive lesions, not all of them were classified as pathological conditions. Instead, repaired surface lesions were documented which were regarded as a physiological condition. Nevertheless, incisors which were radiographically regarded as healthy can also feature histological signs of EOTRH. Therefore, due to the possibility of misinterpreting radiographic findings combined with superimpositions on intraoral radiographs, the detection of early resorptive lesions remains challenging.
Publication Date: 2022-07-11 PubMed ID: 35878366PubMed Central: PMC9323279DOI: 10.3390/vetsci9070348Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

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The research article studies the effects of Equine Odontoclastic Tooth Resorption and Hypercementosis (EOTRH) and other tooth lesions in horses. Its primary aim is to establish a more reliable method of early detection of these conditions in horses using a combination of radiographs, macroscopic examination, and micro-computed tomography (µCT).

Research Methodology

  • In this study, the researchers analysed the incisors of 20 horses using three different methods – radiography, macroscopic examination, and micro-computed tomography (µCT).
  • The teeth were then categorized into five groups – from healthy to severely affected by EOTRH.
  • To verify the findings of the imaging techniques, each tooth was also subjected to histological examination, which involves studying the microscopic structure of tissue.

Findings

  • Histologically, odontoclastic resorptive lesions or breaks in the hard, mineralized tissue of the teeth, leukocytic infiltrations or the accumulation of white blood cells, and areas of irregular cementum and granulation tissue were observed in the teeth examined.
  • The scans from the micro-CT were able to successfully detect the irregularities in the dental substances, which were characterized as resorptive lesions.
  • However, while these irregularities were confirmed by histological examinations, not all of these were classified as pathological conditions – certain repaired surface lesions were considered a physiological or normal condition.

Conclusion

  • The researchers concluded that radiographic imaging could not always reliably distinguish between healthy and disease-affected teeth. This implies that horses’ teeth, which appear healthy upon a radiographic examination, may still exhibit histological signs of EOTRH.
  • Furthermore, misinterpretations of radiographic findings, coupled with overlapping images on intraoral radiographs, make the detection of early resorptive lesions a challenging task.

In essence, the study suggests that accurate, early detection of EOTRH and associated lesions in horses’ incisors require a multi-faceted approach, including radiographic, macroscopic, and microscopic examination, to attain comprehensive and reliable results.

Cite This Article

APA
Albers L, Bienert-Zeit A, Staszyk C. (2022). Equine Incisor Lesions: Histologic Confirmation of Radiographic, Macroscopic, and Micro-Computed Tomographic Findings. Vet Sci, 9(7), 348. https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci9070348

Publication

ISSN: 2306-7381
NlmUniqueID: 101680127
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 9
Issue: 7
PII: 348

Researcher Affiliations

Albers, Louisa
  • Clinic for Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, 30559 Hannover, Germany.
Bienert-Zeit, Astrid
  • Clinic for Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, 30559 Hannover, Germany.
Staszyk, Carsten
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Veterinary-Anatomy, -Histology and -Embryology, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, 35392 Gießen, Germany.

Grant Funding

  • 491094227 / Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) - 491094227 "Open Access Publication Funding" and the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 2 times.
  1. Jensen A, Clarke EJ, Nugent Z, Paice E, Gringel I, Yamamoto K, Rocchigiani G, Peffers AJ, Cooper L, Peffers MJ. Inflammation and response to bacterial infection as potential drivers of equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis: A proteomics insight. Equine Vet J 2025 Jul;57(4):977-990.
    doi: 10.1111/evj.14469pubmed: 39777419google scholar: lookup
  2. Chrostek E, Peralta S, Fiani N. Morphological study of pulp cavity anatomy of canine teeth in domestic cats using micro-computed tomography. Front Vet Sci 2024;11:1373517.
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