Surgical management of compound odontoma in two horses.

The research article details the successful surgical treatment of compound odontoma, a type of benign dental tumor, in two horses presenting with distinct symptoms: one with mandibular swelling and the other with maxillary distortion.

Case Presentation and Diagnoses

• Two horses were observed: Horse 1 had a mandibular swelling and Horse 2 exhibited maxillary distortion. For both horses, radiographic tests confirmed the existence of tumors of dental origin.
• The image patterns resembled a compound odontoma, a benign yet locally expansive dental tumor.

Surgical Treatment Approach

• Both horses underwent extensive surgical resection as a means of treating the compound odontomas. The surgical treatment approaches, however, varied for each horse.
• Horse 1 underwent a single surgical resection. Unfortunately, an iatrogenic fracture occurred during surgery. An iatrogenic fracture refers to a breakage caused unintentionally by the medical intervention itself. This was effectively managed using a type I external fixator, a device used to stabilize and align bones, and extraoral alimentation, a feeding method bypassing the oral cavity.
• Horse 2’s tumor was removed through multiple stages of surgical treatment to ensure all portions of the tumor were eradicated. This horse also developed an extensive orosinal fistula, an abnormal connection between the mouth and the sinus cavity. To address this complication, a custom-designed dental bridge, an appliance used to replace missing teeth, was created to occlude (block) the fistula.

Post-operative Results and Conclusion

• Post-operative analyses for both horses confirmed the diagnosis of compound odontoma, thus validating the respective treatments chosen.
• The study concludes by affirming that compound odontomas can be successfully treated. However, depending upon the size and location of the tumor, multiple surgeries may be necessary.