Small mammal dental Flashcards
What is different about the anatomy of the teeth of small exotic mammals comparing to dogs & cats?
- germinal tissue that allows for continuous growth instead of apical root
- reserve crown is embedded in alveolar bone
- clinical crown (visible crown)
Why are lagomorphs different from rodents?
have 2 sets of maxillary incisors
What dental difference is between rats/ mice and the rest of the rodent family?
have anelodont molars have a limited period of growth as they develop root)(
Dental formula of rodents excluding rats/mice
1/1, 0/0, 1/1, 3/3
Dental formula for mice/ rats
1/1, 0/0, 0/0, 3/3
Dental formula of rabbits
2/1, 0/0, 3/2, 3/3
characteristics of incisors of small exotic mammals
- hypselodont
- maxillary incisor with strong curve
- specie-specific chisel edge
Characteristics of rabbit incisors
- 2 sets incisor (maxillary peg teeth)
- bite & chop food
Characteristics of rodent incisors
- 1 set of incisor
- used for gnawing
What are cheek teeth composed of?
premolars & molars
What type of teeth are most rodents (except for rats/mice) and lagomorph cheek teeth?
hyselodont
function of cheek teeth
function as grinding plate
How are cheek teeth specie specific in small exotic mammals?
- alignment
- occlusal surface
- occlusal angle
What type of movement do rabbits have at their temporomandibular joint?
lateral-lateral movement
What type of movement do rodents have at their temporomandibular joint?
rostrocaudal movement
What is the most common dental issue in rodents & rabbits?
malocclusion
What can cause malocclusion in rodents & rabbits?
anything that disrupts growth/ attrition of teeth
What causes congenital malocclusion?
Caused by:
- congenital jaw mismatch (mandibular prognathism vs. maxillary brachygnathism
- overcrowding
- brachycephalic breed
What causes acquired malocclusion?
- trauma
- lack of appropriate chewing/ food source
- metabolic bone disease
What type of malocclusion is most common in rabbits/ rodents?
acquired
How does metabolic bone disease cause malocclusion?
- renal/ nutritional secondary to parathyroidism
- disrupt strength of bones (jaws less stable)
Sequelae of maloccluision
colonal elongation –> apical elongation —> predisposition to abscessation
What can coronal elongation lead to?
- soft tissue ulceration
- inability/ unwillingness to chew
What can apical elongation lead to?
- boney remodeling due to alveolar bone expansion
- disruption of normal tissue (neighbor disease)
What causes incisor malocclusion?
often due to secondary premolar/molar malocclusion
Characteristics of incisor malocclusion
maxillary incisor grow palatially, closing off mouth and cause soft tissue trauma
What can be the sequelae of incisor malocclusion?
fracture of clinical crown and affect the reserve crown
Questions to ask when getting history
Screen for:
- inappropriate diet
- change in dietary preference
- intermittent GI stasis
- pawing at mouth
- presence of new lump
- diarrhea
- signs of neighboring disease
What to look for during physical exam for oral disease
- diarrhea/ fecal matting
- poor hair coat
- SQ abscess
- hypersalivation
- low BCS
- dehydration
- signs of neighboring Dz
What are required for oral exam for rabbits/ rodents?
- great restrainer/ towel
- hands/ eyes/ smell
- nasal speculum or otoscope
5 components of the oral exam in rabbits/ rodents
- facial symmetry
- facial palpation
- latero-lateral grinding motion
- incisor evaluation
- intraoral exam
What is important to do when examining the face for symmetry?
get down to the level of the nose
What is the goal for facial symmetry examination?
look for neighboring disease, apical disease
Where to pay extra attention to when doing palpation on rabbits/ rodents?
mandible, maxilla, base of ears, retropulse eye
goal for facial palpation
detection of apical disease
Goal for latero-lateral grinding motion
detect intraoral disease
What to do when examining incisors?
pull back lips & look from front & sides
What is the goal of incisor examination?
detect intraoral disease
How to do an intraoral exam?
- introduce instrument into oral cavity & evaluate dentition & soft tissue
goal for intraoral exam
detection of intraoral disease
What are some diagnostic imaging methods that are commonly used for rabbits/rodents?
radiograph, CT, oral endoscopy
What are radiographs helpful with?
intraoral radiographs helpful for incisors
What are CT ideal for?
- evaluation of surrounding soft tissue & areas of superimposition
- help with surgical planning
What are oral endoscopy helpful for?
allow direct visualization on intraoral structure
Treatment for oral disease in rabbits/ rodents
Stabilize first:
- analgesic
- fluid therapy
- increase caloric intake (syringe feed)
- warm
What is the goal for dental procedures in rabbits/rodents?
re-establish grinding plate
- reduce coronal crown height
- maintain specific occlusal angle
- remove spurs
Post-operative care for rabbit/rodent dental
- analgesia: 3-5 d
- supportive care: syringe feed & fluid therapy
long term dental management of rabbits/ rodents
- oral exam every 3 months
- life-long occlusal adjustment often needed
- weekly weighing at home
When are dental extractions considered?
- incisor malocclusion
- mobile teeth
Extractions in rodents/ rabbits
- associated with end-stage dental disease
- warranted when teeth are mobile
What to be aware of for rabbit/ rodent dental extraction?
opposing tooth will continue to grow
Prognosis of dental disease
- depends on stage of disease
- depends on owner commitment & finance
- depend on severity of status upon presentation
- can often improve with diet change and routine dental procedures
