Uneven distribution of enamel, dentine and cementum in cheek teeth of domestic horses (Equus caballus): A micro computed tomography study.
Authors: Englisch Lauritz Martin, Kostrzewa Kathrin, Kopke Susan, Failing Klaus, Staszyk Carsten
Journal: PloS one
Summary
# Editorial Summary Equine cheek teeth are continuously erupting hypsodont structures that wear at approximately 3–4 mm annually, with initially subgingival crown portions progressively becoming exposed at the occlusal surface throughout the horse's life. Using micro-computed tomography, Englisch and colleagues examined whether the composition of enamel, dentine and cementum at the occlusal surface remains consistent as different crown regions erupt into function, or whether the tooth's structural arrangement changes with age and use. Their quantitative analysis of multiple levels along the dental crown revealed uneven distribution of these three dental substances, with significant variation in the relative proportions of enamel, dentine and cementum depending on which crown region was being assessed. This finding has substantial implications for understanding normal tooth wear patterns and the biomechanical properties of different crown regions during mastication, potentially explaining why certain patterns of pathological wear develop preferentially at specific tooth locations. For practitioners managing equine dental disease, this work underscores that the occlusal surface is not a uniform structure and suggests that wear patterns, fractures and developmental anomalies should be interpreted within the context of the varying material composition at different crown heights.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Understanding variable tooth structure at different crown levels helps explain why wear patterns and susceptibility to pathology may differ as teeth erupt and age
- •Uneven enamel distribution suggests that floating and equilibration procedures may need to account for changing surface composition as teeth wear and erupt
- •Continuous eruption compensation relies on a tooth structure that itself is heterogeneous, which may inform how we assess and manage occlusal problems in aging horses
Key Findings
- •The distribution of enamel, dentine, and cementum across the occlusal surface of equine cheek teeth is uneven and changes with distance from the occlusal surface
- •Structural composition of the occlusal surface varies along the dental crown rather than remaining constant throughout tooth eruption
- •Micro-computed tomography demonstrated quantifiable differences in the proportion of dental substances at multiple levels through the crown