The use of oral endoscopy for detection of cheek teeth abnormalities in 300 horses.

The main objective of this study was to evaluate an endoscopic examination protocol for routine dental examination in horses. The oral cavities of 300 standing, sedated horses were examined under field and hospital conditions with a rigid endoscope using a standardised technique that included examination of the occlusal, lingual (palatal) and buccal surfaces of all cheek teeth rows. The most common cheek teeth abnormalities detected were sharp enamel edges (present in 96.3% of horses), focal overgrowths (64.3%), fissure fractures (54.3%), diastemata (24.3%) and infundibular hypoplasia/caries (48.3%). Rigid endoscopy of the equine oral cavity was found to be a safe non-invasive diagnostic technique that appeared to be superior to clinical oral examination for detecting subtle cheek teeth changes.

A long-term study of apicoectomy and endodontic treatment of apically infected cheek teeth in 12 horses.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term results of apicoectomy and retrograde endodontic treatment in 12 horses with apical cheek teeth infections. The affected apices were removed using a diamond bur mounted on a dental drill, and after pulp removal the root canals were filed with Hedstrøm files and then alternately flushed with sodium hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide and alcohol. The pulp canals were dried and filled with endodontic cement and gutta-percha points. An undercut was made in the apical aspect of the root canals that were then sealed with self-curing glass ionomer cement. Follow up information was obtained 38-67 months following treatment and indicated that the treatment had been successful in 7/12 horses (58%), partially successful in 2 horses (17%) and unsuccessful in 3 (25%). With good case selection, apicoectomy can preserve a proportion of apically infected cheek teeth. The use of advanced imaging techniques and improved surgical techniques could increase the success rate.

Concentrations of clindamycin in the mandibular bone of companion animals.

Concentrations of clindamycin in the mandible were determined in 17 dogs and 13 cats with severe plaque, gingivitis/periodontitis, and calculus that were treated orally with clindamycin (11 mg/kg) once daily for 5 days prior to professional teeth cleaning and extractions. The animals were patients at the Dental Department of the Clinic for Surgery and Ophthalmology of the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna, Austria. Clindamycin levels were determined during postextractional alveoloplasty. Approximately 1 to 3 mm3 of mandible was removed from the intraradicular septum in multirooted teeth and from the protruding labial/buccal alveolar rim with a small rongeur. The mean concentration of clindamycin was 8.18 microg/g in dogs (range=3.16 to 24.08 microg/g) and 17.43 microg/g in cats (range=2.45 to 51.60 microg/g). The concentration of clindamycin in the mandibles of dogs and cats may be useful to combat infections after periodontal procedures, tooth extractions, or injuries to the mandible.

Treatment of periodontal pockets with doxycycline in beagles.

Following pretreatment with clindamycin, cleaning, scaling, polishing, and curettage, six beagles that were patients at the Dental Department of the Clinic for Surgery and Ophthalmology of the University of Veterinary Medicine of Vienna received a doxycycline polymer filling (Doxirobe, Pharmacia Animal Health) in periodontal pockets of teeth 204, 208, 304, and 309. Gingivitis index, gingival crevicular fluid, probing depth, and attachment loss were determined before and 6 and 12 weeks after treatment. Teeth 104, 108, 404, and 409 did not receive antibiotic therapy but were pretreated in the same manner as the doxycycline-treated teeth. Pocket depth for teeth treated with doxycycline was significantly reduced (improved) by 39% after 6 weeks (P =.001) and by 35% after 12 weeks (P =.001). Pockets around control teeth were improved after cleaning and curettage but were still significantly deeper than around teeth treated with doxycycline. Compared with control teeth, teeth treated with doxycycline had significantly less gingival crevicular fluid after treatment (P =.001). Teeth treated with doxycycline gained significant attachment after 6 (42%) and 12 (38%) weeks. Significantly fewer bacteria were harvested from doxycycline-treated teeth than from control teeth. The gingival index was significantly lower in the doxycycline-treated teeth than in the control teeth 6 (P =.002) and 12 (P =.007) weeks after treatment. Local application of doxycycline complements traditional subgingival curettage therapy in a reasonable and effective way and can significantly improve treatment success, especially with regard to pocket depth reduction and attachment gain.

Effect of clindamycin hydrochloride on gingival crevicular fluid and immune mediators in beagles.

Gingivitis and periodontitis, two frequently observed conditions in dogs, are primarily caused by bacterial plaque. Gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and some of the biochemical substances contained in it are used diagnostically and to evaluate the success of treatment. A double-blind study using a crossover design was conducted to evaluate treatment with clindamycin hydrochloride on the amount of GCF and concentrations of its immune mediators (leukotriene B4 [LTB4], prostaglandin E2 [PGE2], and polymorphonuclear [PMN] elastase) in dogs. Ten dogs received clindamycin orally at 11 mg/kg/day for 14 days, and 10 dogs remained untreated as controls. After a 5-month rest period, the treatments were reversed. At the beginning and end of each series, the volume of GCF was measured and plaque and gingival indices were assessed on six reference teeth of each patient. Concentrations of LTB4, PGE2, and PMN elastase were determined by ELISA. In both series, plaque and gingival indices dropped significantly (P < or = .0001) in dogs treated with clindamycin. The volume of GCF also declined significantly (P< or = .0001) following treatment and levels of PGE2, PMN elastase, and LTB4 were significantly (P < or = .05) reduced in both series. The antimicrobial effect of clindamycin is not only due to high levels in the blood and saliva, but also to its presence in the gingival crevice.