Abstract
Background:Ex vivo fracture models are frequently used in human dentistry to provide insights in the fracture mechanisms of teeth. Equine cheek teeth fractures are an important dental pathology, but there has been no research performed to examine the fracture resistance ex vivo.Objective: To evaluate the fracture resistance of equine cheek teeth and identify anatomical predictors that might influence fracture resistance in healthy teeth. It was further evaluated if the presence of a fissure caused a decrease in fracture resistance.Study design:Ex vivo experimental design.Methods: Individual cheek teeth were subjected to a compression load in a universal testing machine until fracture occurred. Testing was performed in two study groups. A first group of healthy cheek teeth was tested to examine anatomical predictors on fracture resistance. A second group comprised cheek teeth with occlusal fissures and an equal number of age- and size-matched fissure-free teeth as controls. The effect of possible predictors on fracture resistance was investigated by regression analysis.Results: In the first group, fracture resistance was significantly influenced by the location on the tooth where testing was performed in both maxillary (p < 0.001) and mandibular teeth (p < 0.001). Additional significantly associated factors were Triadan number in mandibular (p = 0.009) and the mesiodistal length of the occlusal surface of maxillary teeth (p = 0.01). Experimentally induced crown fractures that extended below the simulated bone level were more frequently associated with pulp horn exposure (p < 0.001). In the second group, significant lower fracture loads were recorded in teeth with fissures (mandibular p = 0.006; maxillary p < 0.001), compared to fissure-free teeth.Main limitations: This ex vivo model does not imitate the in vivo masticatory forces and lacks the shock-absorbing properties of the periodontal ligament.Conclusions: The methodology used in this study provides an ex vivo experimental set-up to test fracture resistance of equine cheek teeth enabling evidence-based research to examine the potentially weakening effects of tooth pathology and its treatments. Crown resistance to fracture differed along the occlusal surface of healthy equine cheek teeth, and the presence of fissures further decreased fracture resistance.
Highlights
The cheek teeth of horses play a very important role in the horse’s digestive strategy since it is characterized by a high chewing efficiency [1]
It has been suggested that these idiopathic fractures occur on sites of structural weakness [5], but the fracture resistance of equine cheek teeth and the possible difference in fracture tolerance at specific locations on the tooth has not been examined up to date
Attention has been brought to the presence of fissures on the occlusal surface of equine cheek teeth and their ability to progress into gross crown fractures [12]
Summary
The cheek teeth of horses play a very important role in the horse’s digestive strategy since it is characterized by a high chewing efficiency [1]. Different fracture patterns have been described, but only the etiology of maxillary sagittal midline fractures has been discovered. This fracture type is considered to develop secondary to advanced infundibular caries and is referred to as caries related infundibular fractures [4,5,6]. It has been suggested that these idiopathic fractures occur on sites of structural weakness [5], but the fracture resistance of equine cheek teeth and the possible difference in fracture tolerance at specific locations on the tooth has not been examined up to date. Equine cheek teeth fractures are an important dental pathology, but there has been no research performed to examine the fracture resistance ex vivo
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