Micro-CT and histological examination of accessory canals in 34 equine cheek teeth.
Abstract: Accessory canals and apical deltas have been extensively studied in human dentistry. Their clinical role as a difficult to clean reservoir for bacteria during endodontic treatments has been well described. Many papers describe in detail the pulp anatomy of equine dentition but little attention has been given to their apical ramifications. The goal of this paper is to describe the presence and anatomy of these accessory canals and apical deltas in healthy equine cheek teeth and discuss their possible relevance in the light of equine endodontics. To accomplish this, 15 maxillary and 19 mandibular healthy cheek teeth were collected ranging from Triadan 06 s to 11 s with eruption ages from 4 to 9 years. Their root anatomy was documented in detail based on micro computed tomography images. A subset of 3 teeth also underwent histological examination. Accessory canals were found in all but two teeth examined. Up to 44 accessory canals per tooth have been found with locations ranging from the root furcation down to the apex of the root and with highly variable diameters. Apical deltas in different stages of development were found in 84% of the roots. The presence of accessory canals identified on microCT images could be confirmed using histological examination although some of them were obliterated by reparative dentin. Accessory canals can be found in most equine cheek teeth and add complexity to their endodontic anatomy. This could have important implications for their treatment in case of pulp pathology. In humans, failure to remove bacterial biofilm from such canals has been associated with failure of endodontic treatment. Research on diseased equine teeth is required to gain a better understanding of their clinical relevance in horses.
Copyright © 2024 Korsós, Staszyk, Boone, Josipovic, Vogelsberg and Vlaminck.
Publication Date: 2024-04-10 PubMed ID: 38659446PubMed Central: PMC11039908DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1396871Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research article investigates the presence and anatomy of accessory canals and apical deltas in healthy equine cheek teeth and their implication in equine endodontic treatments. Researchers used micro computed tomography (micro-CT) and histological examinations on collected healthy equine teeth and discovered the presence and location of accessory canals, highlighting the complexity of equine endodontic anatomy.
Research Method and Samples
- The study involved the collection of 15 maxillary and 19 mandibular healthy cheek teeth derived from horses aged between 4 to 9 years.
- Each tooth’s root anatomy was meticulously documented based on images captured through micro computed tomography, allowing researchers to observe accessory canals’ presence and anatomy in each tooth.
- Three of the studied teeth underwent additional histological examination to validate the existence of accessory canals identified through micro-CT imaging.
Findings
- Accessory canals were discovered in all but two teeth examined. The number of these canals varied vastly, with up to 44 identified in a single tooth.
- The accessory canals were located at different points ranging from the root furcation down to the apex of the root, and their diameters varied significantly.
- Different stages of apical delta development were found in 84% of the observed roots. These deltas add further intricacy to equine endodontic anatomy.
Implications
- The study enlightened the complexity of equine teeth’s endodontic anatomy by uncovering numerous accessory canals. The presence of these accessory canals could add complication when treating horses with pulp pathology.
- In human dentistry, the failure to clear bacterial biofilm from accessory canals has been linked to unsuccessful endodontic treatment. Therefore, it is hypothesized that similar complications may occur in equine dentistry as well.
- This paper suggests the need for further research on diseased equine teeth to better understand the clinical importance of these findings in horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Korsós SA, Staszyk C, Boone M, Josipovic I, Vogelsberg J, Vlaminck L.
(2024).
Micro-CT and histological examination of accessory canals in 34 equine cheek teeth.
Front Vet Sci, 11, 1396871.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2024.1396871 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Large Animal Surgery, Anaesthesia and Orthopaedics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
- Institute of Veterinary-Anatomy,-Histology and -Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany.
- Department of Physics and Astronomy - Radiation Physics, Faculty of Science, Radiation Physics Research Group - Centre for X-ray Tomography of the UGent, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
- Department of Physics and Astronomy - Radiation Physics, Faculty of Science, Radiation Physics Research Group - Centre for X-ray Tomography of the UGent, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
- Institute of Veterinary-Anatomy,-Histology and -Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany.
- Department of Large Animal Surgery, Anaesthesia and Orthopaedics, 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. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision.
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