Laboratory animal research represents a remarkable source of information. Rodents are often used as an  experimental model for studies in the medical field, showing several advantages. The access to the oral  cavity allows one to examine it and to perform surgical restorative procedures. The application of topical  substances on hard tissues and mucosa is also possible. Literature includes reports on mouth-opening systems  for animals, but they are not available on the market. Therefore, researchers must improvise methods  that allow access to the oral cavity, but which may compromise the experiment. The purpose of this technical  report is to introduce an inexpensive and easy-to-use surgery table containing a device for rodent  mouth opening, which facilitates access to the oral cavity, maintaining mouth-opening and spreading the  cheeks apart.

Padilha, D M P

Rivaldo, E G

English

Journals from University of Tartu

IntroductionLaboratory animal research provides a remarkablesource of information. Rodents are often used asexperimental models in studies in the biomedicalfield (Brookbank, 1990) showing such advantagesas: they are mammals; they are small in size; theirreproduction, care handling and acquisition areeasy; and the cost for acquisition and maintenanceis low (Jordan, 1971). Further, mice present a shortlife span, making them an attractive model forresearch on the biology of ageing (Brookbank,1990).Dentistry is a science that, quite often, uses rodentsfor studies on oral biology, not only for theanatomic resemblance of molars and oral struc-tures, but as well for the similarities in physiologi-cal responses during their handling.Access to the oral cavity of these animals allowsone to examine it and to perform surgical andrestorative procedures, as well as to apply of tropi-cal substances both on hard tissues and on mucosa.The size of the teeth and structures that belong tothe oral cavity, as well as the posterior location ofthe molars, creates difficulty for access and view-ing (Jordan, 1971).   The literature reports systems for oral opening forvarious animals (Rizzo, 1959; Moss et al., 1965;Houston, 1964; Johansen, 1952; Amann, 1963),but the systems described are too old and are notavailable on the market. Some of these devices(Rizzo, 1959; Moss et al., 1965; Johansen, 1952)claim, as an advantage, the ability to performexperiments without anesthesia, which is todaycompletely unacceptable according to the rules forethics in animal research. As a result researchersmust improvise methods that allow them to haveaccess to the oral cavity (Waynforth, 1996). Oftenthese methods make viewing difficult, compromis-ing the reliability of the experiment, injuring theanimal, and even killing it by asphyxiation. The aim of this technical report is to introduce aninexpensive and easy-to-use surgery table contain-ing a device for rodents’ mouth-opening. Theequipment allows the placing of the animal underScand. J. Lab. Anim. Sci. 2007 Vol. 34 No. 3Published in the Scandinavian Journal of Laboratory Animal Science - an international journal of laboratory animal science1A Surgery Table with a Mouth Prop for Rodentsby EG Rivaldo1,* & DMP Padilha 4,1Faculty of Dentistry, Lutheran University of Brazil, Canoas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil2Institute of Geriatric and Gerontology, Pontifical Catholic University, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil andFaculty of Dentistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, BrazilSummaryLaboratory animal research represents a remarkable source of information. Rodents are often used as anexperimental model for studies in the medical field, showing several advantages. The access to the oralcavity allows one to examine it and to perform surgical restorative procedures. The application of topicalsubstances on hard tissues and mucosa is also possible. Literature includes reports on mouth-opening sys-tems for animals, but they are not available on the market. Therefore, researchers must improvise methodsthat allow access to the oral cavity, but which may compromise the experiment. The purpose of this tech-nical report is to introduce an inexpensive and easy-to-use surgery table containing a device for rodentmouth opening, which facilitates access to the oral cavity, maintaining mouth-opening and spreading thecheeks apart.*Correspondence: Elken Gomes RivaldoFaculty of Dentistry, Lutheran University of Brazil, JoãoMora, 182, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, ZipCode 91920-290Tel/Fax: +55 51 32413337E-mail: elken@via-rs.netJD 103 A Surgery Tech.note  06/09/07  8:26  Side 1Scand. J. Lab. Anim. Sci. 2007 Vol. 34 No. 32anesthesia in such an inclination that the viewingof the oral cavity is favored, maintaining the max-illa far from the mandible (not to the maximumopening which could obstruct the breathing), aswell as spreading the cheeks apart, allowing freeaccess to the oral cavity. This equipment facilitatesscientific research in the medical, veterinarian anddentistry fields. In the dentistry field the literaturedescribes the use of rodents in the periodontal, cra-nium-facial biology, pharmacology, pulp biology,stomathology and oral geriatrics fields. A majorpart of the research aimed al understanding thenature and etiology of, as well as finding treat-ments for, oral diseases, depends on the use of lab-oratory animals. Description and OperationThe surgery table consists of a 20 x 25 cm base,over which a white acrylic box measuring 18 x 12cm is fixed, being 5 cm in height at the rear and 8cm in height at the front. In the front side of thebox, five 1 cm pins are fixed at 1 cm from the base,controlling the length of an elastic band (5 cm indiameter), which holds the upper incisors of theanimal. In rear part of the base, a 10 cm verticalmetallic rod is attached centrally, from which stain-less steel wire (0.8 mm x 15 cm) emerges having acurved, hook-like end. This end is attached toanother elastic band measuring 2 cm in diameter,which is placed on the lower incisors of therodents. An optical fiber cable is coupled to thissame vertical rod, extending over the box at aheight of 10 cm, connected to a 21 V, 150 WHalogen light source (Fig. 1).         To the side of the box and 4 cm from its front, twovertical rods are attached, one at each side, meas-uring 10 cm. These rods control the positioning ofthe lateral openers through the use of fixing screwsthat can be adjusted both in vertical and horizontaldirection. It is possible to keep the animal’sabdomen in position by means of an elastic band (5cm in diameter) that is also attached to the lateralrods. Grooves in the lower portion of the rods reg-ulate the tension on the elastic. The placing of theanimal is performed in approximately five seconds(Fig. 2). Rodents have been used as models for oral research.These studies include, but are not limited to, peri-odontal diseases (Susin and Rosing, 2003), mucos-al wound healing (Szpaderska et al., 2003), topicaldelivery drugs therapy (Erjavec et al., 2006), andsurgical procedures (Inal et al., 2006). However,access to oral structures remains as a limitation tothe use of those animals, especially the mouse. ToFigure 1. The surgery table with Halogen lightsource.Figure 2. Placing animal on surgery table.JD 103 A Surgery Tech.note  06/09/07  8:26  Side 2Scand. J. Lab. Anim. Sci. 2007 Vol. 34 No. 3perform mucoperiosteal flap surgery in mice, inorder to provoke alveolar bone loss (Yaffe et al.,1994), we developed a surgical table to access miceoral structures. With this table we were able to showthat mice can be used as a model for mandibularbone loss (Rivaldo et al., 2005) (Fig. 3). It could beachieved even with their small teeth and posteriorlocation of the molars (Johansen, 1952). The newtable has been successfully used to perform severaloral procedures in mice and rats and, without anymodification; it can also be used on hamsters andguinea pigs. The table inclination, the open-mouthelastic device and the buccal retractors provide fullaccessibility to any oral structures in any size ofanimal without risk of asphyxia (Fig. 4). The sim-plification of rodent handling techniques shouldhelp facilitate oral investigation (Moss et al., 1965).Our surgical table provides a further contribution toachieve it.ReferencesBrookbank JW. Aging in mammals. In: BrookbankJW. The biology of aging, Harper & RowPublishers, New York, USA, 1990.Jordan HV: Rodent model systems in periodontaldisease research. J Dent Res, 1971, 50,236-242.Rizzo AA: A new mouth prop for oral examinationsand operative procedures in rodents. J DentRes, 1959, 38, 4, 830-832.Moss RL, TA Collins, DF Cole: A new apparatus forintraoral manipulations in the hamster. J DentRes, 1965, 44, 668-670.Houston WJB : A new design of rat mouth prop. JDent Res, 1964, 43, 458.Johansen E: A new technique for oral examinationof rodents. J Dent Res, 1952, 31, 361-365.Amann G: Mouth retractor for special feeding ofrats.  Med Lab, 1963, 16, 17.Waynforth HB: Basics of surgery. In: Tuffery AA:Laboratory animals: an introduction for experi-menters, John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester,USA, 1996. Susin C & CK Rosing:  Effect of variable moderatechronic stress on ligature-induced periodontaldisease in Wistar rats. Acta Odontol Scand,2003, 61, 5, 73-77. Szpaderska AM, JD Zuckerman & LA DiPietro:Differential injury responses in oral mucosaland cutaneous wounds. J Dent Res, 2003, 82, 8,621-626. 3Figure 3. Buccal aspect of a mucoperiosteal flap inmice.Figure 4. Access to the oral cavity.JD 103 A Surgery Tech.note  06/09/07  8:26  Side 3Scand. J. Lab. Anim. Sci. 2007 Vol. 34 No. 34Erjavec V, Z Pavlica, M Sentjurc & M Petelin: Invivo study of liposomes as drug carriers to oralmucosa using EPR oximetry. Int J Pharm, 2006,3, 307,1-8.Inal S, N Yilmaz, C Nisbet & T Guvenc:Biochemical and histopathological findings ofN-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate in oral surgery: anexperimental study. Oral Surg Oral Med OralPathol Oral Radiol Endod, 2006, 102, 6, 14-17. Yaffe A, N Fine & I Binderman: Regional accelerat-ed phenomenon in the mandible followingmucoperiosteal flap surgery. J. Periodontol,1994, 65, 1, 79-83.Rivaldo E, DMP Padilha & FN Hugo: Alveolarbone loss and aging: a model for the study inmice. J. Periodontol, 2005, 76, 11, 1966-1971.JD 103 A Surgery Tech.note  06/09/07  8:26  Side 4

A Surgery Table with a Mouth Prop for Rodents

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A Surgery Table with a Mouth Prop for Rodents

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