Amir the Sumatran Tiger Undergoes Dental Treatment to Fix Chipped Tooth
A nine year old Sumatran tiger from Howletts Wild Animal Park has undergone dental treatment to fix three chipped teeth.
Amir, one of the park’s most popular residents, was treated at the on-site hospital by Peter Kertesz, a Harley Street dentist who has expertise in treating canine teeth. Amir had three chipped teeth, which required treatment to prevent further damage. Although the damage wasn’t causing the tiger any pain, vets at the park thought it was best to repair and fill the three teeth to prevent any further injury in the future.
Filling the teeth is a lot more complex than filling human teeth because the roots can be up to six times longer. Mr Kertesz started treatment on Amir once he had been sedated and the procedure was a success. Jane Hopper, a vet at the wildlife park, said that Amir had made a full recovery and was doing well under the supervision of keepers and vets.
Head of the carnivore section at Howletts Wild Animal Park, Ben Warren, explained that preventative action was the best route for Amir, as the teeth are used heavily and the procedure would help to protect and strengthen the teeth and prevent them from breaking or decaying in the future.
Howletts Wild Animal Park is located near Canterbury.
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