Equine cheek teeth occlusal fissures: Prevalence, association with dental wear abnormalities and occlusal angles.
Authors: Pollaris E, Haspeslagh M, Van den Wyngaert G, Vlaminck L
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Occlusal Fissures in Equine Cheek Teeth: Prevalence and Predilection Sites Occlusal fissures frequently appear during routine dental examinations in horses, yet their underlying cause remains poorly understood. Pollaris and colleagues conducted a cross-sectional examination of 143 cadaver heads, measuring occlusal angles using the stiff-hinge technique and performing regression analyses to investigate whether masticatory forces influenced fissure development and whether associations existed with dental wear abnormalities. The researchers found occlusal fissures in 72% of heads overall, with similar prevalence between mandibular (54.1%) and maxillary teeth (45.9%), though mandibular fissures showed a distinct buccal predilection site whereas maxillary lesions distributed more evenly between buccal and palatal surfaces. Surprisingly, no significant correlations emerged between fissure presence and either wear abnormalities or occlusal angles, suggesting that mechanical forces alone do not explain these lesions despite their apparent location-specific patterns. For practitioners, this means occlusal fissures should be regarded as a common finding rather than an indicator of abnormal wear or biomechanical dysfunction, though further investigation into their histological nature and potential role in secondary pathology is needed to determine their true clinical significance.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Occlusal fissures are a common finding in equine cheek teeth (72%) but their clinical significance remains unclear—further investigation is needed before determining whether they require intervention
- •Fissures appear to have a mechanical predisposition based on location patterns, yet cannot be predicted by dental wear patterns or bite angles, suggesting additional factors (possibly ultrastructural) are involved
- •Practitioners should expect to encounter these lesions frequently during oral examinations but should not assume they are directly related to mastication problems or occlusal imbalance
Key Findings
- •Occlusal fissures were present in 72% (103/143) of cadaver heads examined
- •Sex and age were significant determining factors for fissure prevalence, with similar rates between mandibular (54.1%) and maxillary teeth (45.9%)
- •Mandibular fissures showed predilection for buccal aspect (OR=1.42, P<0.001) but no significant correlation was found between fissures and wear abnormalities or occlusal angles
- •Type 1a fissures were the most prevalent type identified at 39.5% of lesions