The association between oral examination findings and computed tomographic appearance of the equine temporomandibular joint.
Abstract: The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) forms the junction between the maxilla and mandible. Movement of the jaw and resulting masticatory forces have been extensively studied in the horse; however, less is known about the inter-relationship between this joint and oral and dental pathology. Objective: To determine the association between specific oral and dental pathologies and anatomical variations of the TMJ imaged with computed tomography (CT) in horses with asymptomatic TMJs. Methods: Retrospective cross-sectional study. Methods: Horses (n = 201) from three practices with a complete oral examination and skull or upper cervical CT study were reviewed. Age, breed, sex, clinical presentation, oral examination findings, slice width and practice were recorded. Alterations in contour and density of the mandibular condyle, mandibular fossa and intra-articular disc were also documented. Logistic regression, corrected for clustering by practice, was used to determine whether CT anatomical variations were significantly associated with the oral examination findings. Results: Horses categorised as having abnormal TMJs were older than those with normal TMJ. Horses with periodontal disease were less likely to have abnormal TMJ findings compared with horses with no oral pathology. In contrast, horses with infundibular disease were more likely to have TMJ abnormalities. Conclusions: Due to the cross-sectional nature of the study, it was difficult to establish whether oral pathology preceded TMJ abnormalities. Conclusions: Despite examining over 200 horses of varying ages, the biological significance of the observed associations between oral, or dental disease and anatomically appreciable temporomandibular joint disorders remains uncertain.
© 2017 EVJ Ltd.
Publication Date: 2017-05-25 PubMed ID: 28437035DOI: 10.1111/evj.12693Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research article investigates the relationship between dental problems in horses and variations in the structure of the equine Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) as visualized with Computed Tomography (CT).
Overview
The study was conducted to determine if there is any correlation between specific oral and dental problems in horses and changes in the structure of the Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ), which is a critical part of the skeletal structure that connects the jaw to the skull. The researchers performed CT scans on the TMJ of 201 horses under examination for potential oral and dental problems.
Methodology
- The researchers conducted a complete oral examination and used CT scan to study the upper cervical and skull region of 201 horses from three veterinary practices.
- Key information including age, breed, sex, clinical presentation, and practice location were also documented.
- They further documented any changes in the contour and structure of the mandibular condyle (a rounded protrusion at the end of the mandible that fits into the fossa), mandibular fossa (the socket into which the condyle fits), and the intra-articular disc (a small disc within the joint).
Results
- The results showed that horses with irregular TMJs tended to be older than those with normal TMJs.
- Interestingly, horses diagnosed with periodontal disease (a range of conditions affecting the structures supporting the teeth) were less likely to have anomalies in the TMJ compared to horses without oral issues.
- However, horses suffering from infundibular disease (an oral condition in horses causing cavity formations) were more probable to have TMJ abnormalities.
Conclusions
- Since the study was cross-sectional, it was challenging to establish whether the oral issues preceded the changes in the TMJ. Hence, the temporal ordering of these pathological changes remains uncertain.
- Despite examining a large number of horses of various ages, the actual biological significance of the observed relationship between oral or dental disease and anatomically noticeable disorders of TMJ remains vague.
Cite This Article
APA
Carmalt JL, Simhofer H, Bienert-Zeit A, Rawlinson JE, Waldner CL.
(2017).
The association between oral examination findings and computed tomographic appearance of the equine temporomandibular joint.
Equine Vet J, 49(6), 780-783.
https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.12693 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
- Department of Small Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria.
- Clinic for Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany.
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA.
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Cross-Sectional Studies
- Horses / anatomy & histology
- Retrospective Studies
- Temporomandibular Joint / anatomy & histology
- Temporomandibular Joint / diagnostic imaging
- Temporomandibular Joint / pathology
- Tomography, X-Ray Computed / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 1 times.- Stieger-Vanegas SM, Hanna AL. The Role of Computed Tomography in Imaging Non-neurologic Disorders of the Head in Equine Patients.. Front Vet Sci 2022;9:798216.
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