Petinax the Gorilla Undergoes Root Canal Treatment at Paignton Zoo
Pertinax, a 28-stone gorilla who lives at Paignton Zoo, has been visited by a team of vets and dental experts. One of the UK’s largest gorillas, Pertinax was treated after routine investigations revealed a broken tooth. Vets decided that the much-loved resident needed root canal treatment and the procedure took place last week.
Jo Reynard was part of the team in charge of caring for Pertinax. She was joined by fellow zoo vets and dental specialist Peter Ketesz, who travels all over the world performing complex procedures on nature’s most treasured animals.
Vets recommended the procedure after discovering a fractured tooth. When a tooth is broken, there is a risk of infection spreading and root canal treatment helps to remove the decayed pulp tissue and stem the spread of harmful bacteria. Once the infected pulp tissue has been cleared from the tooth, the root canals are then stuffed with dental material and sealed.
The procedure is very similar to that used to treat human teeth, but the size of the animal can cause problems, according to Me Kertesz. In this case, the process ran smoothly and Pertinax is now recovering well. Initially, the 28-stone giant was feeling a little drowsy, but he was back to his usual energetic self the following day. The team administered enough anaesthetic to send Pertinax to sleep for two hours, but the procedure was completed in around 40 minutes.
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