Computed tomography of the upper cheek teeth in horses with infundibular changes and apical infection

Summary Reasons for performing study: Infundibular changes are frequently encountered computed tomographic studies of the equine maxillary cheek teeth but the possible importance of this finding is not known. Infundibular caries is a possible cause for pulpitis and apical infection in some horses. Objectives: To study the relationship between the 2 pathologies and the frequency of changes. Methods: The maxillary cheek teeth 108-208, 109–209 and 110–210 of 25 horses were evaluated using computed tomography and both the prevalence of infundibular and apical infection changes as the possible link with apical infection evaluated statistically. Results: The prevalence of infundibular changes was high in both normal and diseased teeth. Both apical infection and the occurrence of infundibular changes were more prevalent in 109–209 and 110–210. In spite of this, the 2 processes could not be linked to one another. No differences were noted between the left and right sides. Conclusions: A direct relationship between the 2 processes was not established statistically and other underlying causes for the high occurrence of both apical infection and infundibular changes in diseased and normal 108-208, 109–209 and 110210 are considered.