Equine dental radiography

Question 1

Patient Preparation

Answer 1

§ Usually heavy sedation required
– Detomidine + butorphanol
– Heavy sedation so head drops low and can be put on support e.g. ladder.
– Don’t like plates and generator around head generally so makes it all easier
§ Head collar removed
– Artefact

Question 2

View to see the maxillary incisors

Answer 2

• dorso-ventral view
  – Put corner of plate as far into the mouth as possible - gag in cheek teeth so incisors cant close and they won’t bite the plate.
  – Can often see the canine teeth with this view as well.

Question 3

View to see the mandibular incisors

Answer 3

• ventro-dorsal view
  – Cheek teeth gag, plate, etc same as for maxillary incisor vd view

Question 4

2 views to see the cheek teeth

Answer 4

• latero-lateral view
  – good lateral when the 2 nasoincisor notches are pretty much lined up on top of each other and you can see the sinuses well.
  – downside: cheek teeth superimposed on one another
  – Good for the sinuses.
• dorso-ventral view
  – plate pushed up towards the neck
  – 6 cheek teeth superimposed on top of one another
  – Upper cheek teeth will be slightly more lateral than the lower, but still cant really see the 2 sets of teeth separately.
  – But can see the nasal septum - allows the sinuses to be seen for fluid accumulation, or deviation of the nasal septum.

Question 5

View to see the maxillary cheek teeth

Answer 5

• latero30°dorsal-lateroventral oblique view
  – In order to see the individual cheek teeth roots
  – Highlights the apex of the cheek teeth on the other side to which the radiograph is taken. i.e. taking picture of the cheek teeth closest to the plate.

Question 6

View to see the mandibular cheek teeth

Answer 6

• latero45°ventral-laterodorsal oblique view
  – Same as for the maxillary cheek teeth
  – Highlights apex of cheek teeth on the other side of the horse - next to the plate.

Question 7

View to see the temporomandibular joint

Answer 7

• rostro35°lateral 50°ventral-caudodorsal oblique

Question 8

What is parrot mouth?

Answer 8

• Brachygnathia
• maxilla is longer than the mandible
• not uncommon in horses

Question 9

What is sow mouth?

Answer 9

• Prognathia
• Mandible is longer than the maxilla
• Rare

Question 10

What is polydontia?

Answer 10

• Too many teeth

Question 11

What is oligodontia?

Answer 11

Too few teeth

Question 12

What is wave mouth?

Answer 12

• Overgrowth on lower arcade and therefore recess on upper arcad

Question 13

Diastemata

Answer 13

• Because of the normal angulation, as they grow they pack together and so there are no gaps
• If theres a lack of angulation / for other reasons, you get gaps = diastemata

Question 14

Periapical abscess - what do you see on radiographs?

Answer 14

§ Widening of periodontal space
§ Loss of lamina dura (bright white line that surrounds the tooth root)
§ Periapical bone lysis
§ Sclerosis of surrounding bone (more radio dense that it should be [whiter])
§ Destruction (blunting) of tooth apex

Question 15

Types of neoplasia

Answer 15

• Osteosarcoma
• ameloblastoma
• Ossifying fibroma
  – tends to happen in foals and yearlings

Question 16

EOTRH

Answer 16

= Equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercemetosis
- Older horses
- Significant tooth resorption: most of the tooth has been destroyed
- Hypercementosis: seen at the end of the root - rounded radiodense area - increased cementum.
- Painful and wobbly teeth: rubbish for eating - removed.
- Depending on cementum build up at apex of root may be tricky to remove.

Question 17

Temporomandibular joint disease

Answer 17

• Usually looking for osteoarthritis

Question 18

Computed Tomography

Answer 18

• Very useful diagnostic tool