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Frontiers in veterinary science2021; 8; 699940; doi: 10.3389/fvets.2021.699940

Fracture Resistance of Equine Cheek Teeth With and Without Occlusal Fissures: A Standardized ex vivo Model.

Abstract: fracture models are frequently used in human dentistry to provide insights in the fracture mechanisms of teeth. Equine cheek teeth fractures are an important dental pathology, but there has been no research performed to examine the fracture resistance . To evaluate the fracture resistance of equine cheek teeth and identify anatomical predictors that might influence fracture resistance in healthy teeth. It was further evaluated if the presence of a fissure caused a decrease in fracture resistance. experimental design. Individual cheek teeth were subjected to a compression load in a universal testing machine until fracture occurred. Testing was performed in two study groups. A first group of healthy cheek teeth was tested to examine anatomical predictors on fracture resistance. A second group comprised cheek teeth with occlusal fissures and an equal number of age- and size-matched fissure-free teeth as controls. The effect of possible predictors on fracture resistance was investigated by regression analysis. In the first group, fracture resistance was significantly influenced by the location on the tooth where testing was performed in both maxillary ( < 0.001) and mandibular teeth ( < 0.001). Additional significantly associated factors were Triadan number in mandibular ( = 0.009) and the mesiodistal length of the occlusal surface of maxillary teeth ( = 0.01). Experimentally induced crown fractures that extended below the simulated bone level were more frequently associated with pulp horn exposure ( < 0.001). In the second group, significant lower fracture loads were recorded in teeth with fissures (mandibular = 0.006; maxillary < 0.001), compared to fissure-free teeth. This model does not imitate the masticatory forces and lacks the shock-absorbing properties of the periodontal ligament. The methodology used in this study provides an experimental set-up to test fracture resistance of equine cheek teeth enabling evidence-based research to examine the potentially weakening effects of tooth pathology and its treatments. Crown resistance to fracture differed along the occlusal surface of healthy equine cheek teeth, and the presence of fissures further decreased fracture resistance.
Publication Date: 2021-09-07 PubMed ID: 34557539PubMed Central: PMC8453076DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.699940Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

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This research investigates the fracture resistance of horse cheek bones, focusing on the impact of certain anatomical factors and the presence of fissures on the bone’s susceptibility to fractures. The findings highlight the influence of tooth location, Triadan number and tooth surface length on fracture resistance, and reveal that teeth with fissures have a significantly lower fracture resistance.

Objective and Experimental Design

  • The study aims to understand the fracture resistance of equine cheek teeth, with particular emphasis on the effect of anatomical predictors and the presence of fissures. The absence of relevant research prompted this investigation.
  • The researchers employed an experimental design that subjected individual cheek teeth to compression load in a universal testing machine until fracture occurred. The tests were conducted across two groups – one with healthy teeth, and the other comprising equal numbers of fissure-containing teeth and age- and size-matched fissure-free teeth.
  • Regression analysis was used to investigate the effect of different predictors on fracture resistance.

Findings

  • In the first group, the location of teeth significantly influenced fracture resistance in both upper and lower teeth.
  • Further associated factors were the Triadan number in lower teeth and the length of the tooth’s chewing surface in upper teeth.
  • Induced crown fractures that extended below the simulated bone level were generally associated with exposure of the pulp horn.
  • In the second group, teeth with fissures demonstrated a significantly lower fracture resistance when compared to fissure-free teeth.

Limitations and Future Recommendations

  • One limitation of the study was that the model did not mimic the masticatory forces and lacked the shock-absorbing properties of the periodontal ligament.
  • Despite this, the methodology used in this study offers a promising experimental setup to examine fracture resistance of equine cheek teeth, providing an evidence base for future research investigating the weakening effects of tooth pathology and its potential treatments.

Conclusions

  • In conclusion, the study demonstrated that fracture resistance in horse cheek teeth can vary across the tooth’s occlusal surface, and that the presence of fissures can further decrease this fracture resistance.

Cite This Article

APA
Pollaris E, Broeckx BJG, Rajasekharan S, Cauwels R, Vlaminck L. (2021). Fracture Resistance of Equine Cheek Teeth With and Without Occlusal Fissures: A Standardized ex vivo Model. Front Vet Sci, 8, 699940. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2021.699940

Publication

ISSN: 2297-1769
NlmUniqueID: 101666658
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 8
Pages: 699940
PII: 699940

Researcher Affiliations

Pollaris, Elke
  • Department of Surgery and Anaesthesiology of Domestic Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Broeckx, Bart J G
  • Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Rajasekharan, Sivaprakash
  • Department of Paediatric Dentistry and Special Care, PAECOMEDIS Research Cluster, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Cauwels, Rita
  • Department of Paediatric Dentistry and Special Care, PAECOMEDIS Research Cluster, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Vlaminck, Lieven
  • Department of Surgery and Anaesthesiology of Domestic Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
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