Cephalometric Study of the Overjet Development in Warmblood Foals.

Natalia Domanska-Kruppa,Astrid Bienert-Zeit,Monica Venner

doi:10.3389/fvets.2019.00431

Natalia Domanska-Kruppa, Astrid Bienert-Zeit + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2019.00431

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Abstract

Class II malocclusion is the most frequently occurring congenital malocclusion in horses. Radiographic cephalometric procedures adopted from human dentistry were used to study the development of overjet in a population of 650 Warmblood foals. Thirteen foals were diagnosed with measurable overjet at the beginning of the study. The malocclusion in nine foals resolved spontaneously and four foals without overjet at 2 weeks of age developed the condition during the first year of life. A cephalostat used in human orthodontics to immobilize the patient's head while being radiographed was replaced by a researcher-made head-holding device, whose size was based on the results of a pilot study. Laterolateral digital radiographs of each foal's head (cephalograms) were taken at five time points until the age of 12 months. Thirteen cephalometric points were identified and nine distances were measured on each radiograph. Additionally, the angle between the long axis of the upper and lower incisors was evaluated. Cephalometric measurements proved to be useful to identify foals that showed spontaneous regression of the malocclusion over the study time between 9 and 16 weeks of age.

Highlights

The prevalence of overjet in the equine population is between 2 and 5% [1,2,3] and, is thereby, the most frequently occurring congenital malocclusion
The results show that short lines (Mxd and Mnd) showed less accuracy, and long lines showed (EtL and FL) improved accuracy
The present study is the first radiographic age-determinant cephalometric study performed in horses

Summary

Introduction

The prevalence of overjet in the equine population is between 2 and 5% [1,2,3] and, is thereby, the most frequently occurring congenital malocclusion. Several different approaches have been developed for the management and correction of overjet in the horse depending on the severity of the condition. In the case of mild overjet, when the upper incisor teeth protrude labial to the lower incisors, but there is still contact between these teeth, only corrective floating is needed [13]. Among all synonyms of mandibular distoclusion (class II malocclusion, brachygnathism, mandibular brachygnathism, overjet) the authors decided to use the term “overjet” throughout the manuscript to emphasize that the all the measurements concerned the horizontal projection of maxillary incisors beyond the mandibular incisors and none of the foals had an overbite

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Conclusion