Abstract:
Focal palatitis (also known as focal palatine erosion) is thought to be a developmental
disease, specifically of cheetah in captivity raised on a commercial diet. The lack of
chewing is thought to cause the mandibular molar to change angulation, contacting the
palate and causing the lesions. We followed the development of five captive cheetah
cubs, born within 2 weeks of each other, at the same facility. This longitudinal study
followed the cubs cephalometrically from 7-months-old to 25-months-old. Of each cub
wemade a lateral and dorsoventral radiograph at 7, 13, 20, and 25-months-old. For each
radiograph at each age, a predefined series of measurements were made including the
angle of the molar. The latter was measured as the angle of the bisecting line running
through the apex of the caudal molar root intersecting with a line drawn at the ventral
margin of the mandible. The results confirmed that the cheetah skull and neurocranium
follows the same neural growth pattern as has been described for other mammalians.
Similarly the maxillofacial component follows the same somatic growth as seen in all
mammalians excluding humans and non-human primates, where a pubertal growth spurt
is present. Finally the angle of the mandibular molar at 7 months differed significantly from
the angle at the other ages, however there were no statistical difference in the angulation
of the molar after eruption (13 months and older ages). In these five cheetah the lack of
chewing (as seen in captivity with a commercial or meat only based diet) did not alter the
angulation of the mandibular molar, nor did the mandibular molars super erupt in these
patients at 25-months-of-age.
