Cementoblastoma in a red deer (Cervus elaphus) from the Late Pleistocene of Rochedane, France

Abstract

Only relatively few cases of dental abnormalities in wild ruminants have thus far been described in the paleopathological literature. This study reports a case of cementoblastoma, a benign odontogenic tumor of ectomesenchymal origin, in a red deer (Cervus elaphus) from the Late Pleistocene of Rochedane, a prehistoric site in the French Jura. The tumor was attached to the root of a heavily worn loose left maxillary third molar. CT imaging revealed several radiolucent (former soft tissue) spaces of varying shape and size within the mineralized tumorous mass. Light microscopic analysis and backscattered electron imaging in the SEM showed that the process of dental wear had reached the tumor and that the tooth and the attached tumor had undergone considerable microbial diagenesis. This is the first case of cementoblastoma described in a prehistoric animal and also the first report of this type of odontogenic tumor in a deer.

Benign cementoblastoma (true cementoma) in a cat

“…3,18 The reason for the molar teeth predilection in people is unknown. In animals, this pathological condition has been described on incisor, premolar and molar teeth.…”

“…2 This is a rare neoplasm in animals, with few reports in horses, hamsters, a bovine, a Dama gazelle and a red deer. 12 – 18 In people, cementoblastoma is also a rare neoplasm that affects males more often than females, with the mandibular first molar the most commonly affected tooth. 3 It may involve deciduous and permanent teeth, affecting people aged between 8 and 44 years.…”

“…In people, although more frequently found in the permanent molars, the cementoblastoma has also been reported in impacted or unerupted teeth. 3 , 18 The reason for the molar teeth predilection in people is unknown. In animals, this pathological condition has been described on incisor, premolar and molar teeth.…”

Maxillary cementoblastoma (true cementoma) and secondary aspergillosis in a horse

“…Cementoblastoma or true cementoma is a rare neoplasm in animals with only few reports in horses and single reports in bovines, cats, hamsters and other herbivores [2][3][4][9][10][11][12][13]. It is generally considered to be a radiologic or macroscopic incidental fi nding that affects predominantly a single tooth and sometimes causes low-grade pain.…”

“…In humans it is considered to be a young adult neoplasm but described cases in horses range from 2 to 21 years of age [3,4,12]. Human and cat cementoblastomas and herbivores cemental abnormalities are predominantly located in premolar or molar teeth [2,9,11,14] whereas the six reported cases in horses seem to indicate that there is no specifi c location. Remarkably, the incisors were the affected teeth in the three older horses (17 to 21 years old) whereas the other three animals (2 to 10 years old) developed the neoplasm in a single check tooth [3,4,12].…”