Microscopic Alterations of the Dental Pulp in Surgically Extracted Teeth of Dogs.

Microscopic alterations in the dental pulp of dogs have not been extensively studied. The aim of this study was to investigate microscopic alterations of the dental pulp in dogs' teeth. One hundred and ten surgically extracted teeth (20 incisors, 23 canines, 28 premolars, and 39 molars) from 74 dogs, of different ages, with a history of chronic periodontitis (66 dogs), periapical abscesses (2 dogs), pulpitis (2 dogs), oral cavity neoplasms (2 dogs), dens invaginatus (1 dog), and dental fractures (1 dog) were included. Eight-one maxillary and 29 mandibular teeth were included. Coronal, radicular, and coronal plus radicular calculus were present in 28.2%, 17.3%, and 54.5% of the teeth, respectively. In total 78 teeth (71%) had pulp alterations, including fibrosis (26%), calcification (14%), necrosis associated with the absence of odontoblasts (14%), presence of predentin and dentin inside the cavity (8%), odontoblastic hyperplasia (3%), pigmentation (3%), pulpitis (2%), and pulp stones (1%). Forty-nine (60.5%) of the maxillary teeth and all of the mandibular teeth had pulp alterations. The premolars were most affected, and the molars least affected, by pulp alterations. Pulp fibrosis, calcification, and necrosis were observed in teeth irrespective of the distribution of dental calculus.

Dentinal Lesions in Dogs with Dental Calculus.

Histopathological changes in tooth structures in dogs with calculus have not been described. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of various histopathological changes in the dentine of teeth that had been surgically extracted from dogs with calculus. Data including breed, sex, age, reason for tooth extraction and dental history were obtained for each animal. A total of 158 teeth (45 incisors, 31 canines, 35 premolars and 47 molars) with calculus were extracted from 74 dogs of various ages and breeds. The teeth were decalcified, processed in paraffin wax and stained with haematoxylin and eosin for histopathological analysis. Of the 158 analysed teeth, 71 had dentinal changes, including 45 with external resorption cavities, 11 with osteodentine, six with internal resorption cavities, four with tertiary dentine, four with dentinal degeneration or fragmentation, and one with predentine degeneration or fragmentation. Canine teeth were the least commonly affected. Areas of dentinal degeneration or fragmentation unrelated to resorption cavities were only seen in the incisor and molar teeth. Dentinal changes and their frequencies were similar among the incisor, premolar and molar teeth. The presence or extension of dental calculus was not associated with the type or frequency of dentinal changes.