Use of a synthetic bone substitute to retard molariform tooth drift after maxillary tooth loss in ponies.

The research evaluates how a synthetic bone substitute affects the drift of remaining teeth after a tooth extraction in ponies’ upper jaw. It indicates that while the bone substitute significantly reduces post-extraction tooth drift, it doesn’t completely prevent it.

Objective and Methodology

• This research aims to study the impact of an alveolar bone substitute on the drifting of maxillary cheek teeth in ponies following a tooth extraction. It is a longitudinal experimental study performed on five healthy ponies aged between 5-7 years.
• Both maxillary 4th premolar teeth (Triadan 08) were surgically removed from each pony’s upper jaw. Afterward, one of the slots left by the teeth was filled with a biocompatible, non-resorbable bone substitute, Bioplant 24. Conversely, the other slot healed naturally without intervention.
• To separate the bone substitute from the oral environment, they used a polyvinylsiloxane plug and spring wire. They noted any pathological changes to the affected dentition and surrounding soft tissue.
• Researchers calculated the tooth drift after one and two years, comparing it between control and treated sides.

Results

• After one month of the procedure, it was observed that the bone substitute material was appropriately incorporated into healthy tissue.
• Although tooth drift was observed, significant differences were noted between the control and treated sides after 2 years.
• The total drift in control arcades was 10.69+/-2.12 mm for the first year and 9.08+/-0.87 mm for the second year. However, in the bone substitute arcades, it was reduced to 9.90+/-1.60 mm for the first year and 5.60+/-1.78 mm for the second year.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance

• In the immediate post-surgical phase, the partial tooth replacement therapy offered good healing after maxillary P4 extraction.
• The study finds that using an alveolar bone substitute to fill the slot left after a tooth extraction could significantly slow down the post-extraction tooth drift. However, the bone substitute couldn’t entirely halt the drifting.
• The findings are relevant because significant changes occur in the equine dentition following the removal of maxillary cheek teeth.
• The research suggests the need for further longer-term observations to fully confirm the study’s findings.