Regional Veterinary Surgery

REMOVAL OF MOLARS IN BOVINES

• Extraction of molars is indicated in ossifying alveolar periostitis, odontoma and in extensive caries.

Anaesthesia and control

• General anaesthesia or local infiltration anaesthesia or maxillary nerve block or mental nerve block may be given and the animal is controlled on lateral recumbency.

Anatomy

• The roots of the first three cheek teeth are directed slightly forward and are not in maxillary sinus. But the roots of the 4^th and 5^th cheek teeth are in the floor of the maxillary sinus and are directed backwards.
• The infra-orbital and alveolar branches of the internal maxillary artery supply nutrition. The branches of the maxillary nerve exit through the infraorbital foramen and supply the upper cheek tooth. Mandibular nerve supplies the lower cheek teeth.

Technique

• Simple extraction by using dental forceps is possible in cases when tooth is diseased.
• Repulsion through the maxillary sinus after trephining the maxillary sinus and removal of the external alveolar plate in cases where the roots are embedded in the sinus. Here the maxillary sinus is trephined in level with the root of the affected tooth. The mouth is kept open using a mouth gag. The roots of the tooth are identified by breaking the alveolar plates using a chisel and mallet through the trephine opening. A punch is applied against the root in the direction of the tooth and it is struck with a mallet till the tooth could be safely extracted by the hand in the mouth. Occasionally it may become necessary to break the root from the crown and remove them separately.
• In the case of lower cheek tooth, trephine openings are made on the inferior borders of the ramus of the mandible and the tooth is repelled out.