Die Pathologien des Höhlenbärenschädels aus dem Heimatmuseum in Golling an der Salzach (Salzburg, Österreich) [Patologie lebky jeskynního medvěda z Vlastivědného musea v Gollingu nad Salzachem (Solnohradsko, Rakousko)]

Pages

389–398

Citation

WITHALM, Gerhard. Die Pathologien des Höhlenbärenschädels aus dem Heimatmuseum in Golling an der Salzach (Salzburg, Österreich) [Patologie lebky jeskynního medvěda z Vlastivědného musea v Gollingu nad Salzachem (Solnohradsko, Rakousko)]. Lynx, new series. Prague: National Museum, 2001, 32(1), 389–398. ISSN 0024-7774 (print), 1804-6460 (online). Also available from: https://www.nm.cz/en/periodicals/lns/32-1/die-pathologien-des-hohlenbarenschadels-aus-dem-heimatmuseum-in-golling-an-der-salzach-salzburg-osterreich-patologie-lebky-jeskynniho-medveda-z-vlastivedneho-musea-vgollingu-nad-salzachem-solnohradsko-rakousko

Lynx, new series | 2001/32/1

A pathologically altered skull of a cave bear is described. The skull is the property of the “Heimatmuseum” in Golling an der Salzach (Salzburg, Austria) and was found in the “Torrener Bärenhöhle”, cat-no.: 1335/1. It was affected by a trauma during the first years and healed so that it is not straight but slightly crooked. Several years later this distortion of the skull led to an altered position of the teeth and thus to an abnormal erosion of both right upper molars, causing first the opening of the pulp cavity of the second upper molar and later that of the first upper molar. The second upper molar was infected and an inflammation spread to the first upper molar and at last to the distal root of the fourth upper premolar. The bear lost its second upper molar, and the alveolus of this tooth was filled with a spongy bone material. In the position of first upper molar the inflammation became so severe that a fistula broke through the outer wall of the maxillary to drain the pus. At that stage the bear lost the first upper molar as well and its alveolus was filled with a spongy bone material too. Because of the cave bears death, the inflammation was limited to the distal part of the root of the fourth upper premolar. On the left maxillary there was only a small, inflamed area between the first and the second upper molar, causing no severe damage.