Lions, Dolphins and more: Saving animals’ teeth with root canal treatment from Dentsply Sirona Endodontics

Endodontic therapy salvages teeth that have had their pulp irreversibly affected due to exposure to the oral cavity by fracture or caries of the tooth crown. Such exposure typically initially results in pain. This often leads to difficulty in eating and temporary behavioral changes in the animal. The exposure usually results in degeneration of the pulp, eventual abscessation and related lysis of bone at the tooth apex. Endodontics will not salvage a periodontally compromised tooth.

In recent years, to address this need, endodontics has morphed into a veritable high-tech discipline within dentistry. Here, Dentsply Sirona Endodontics is breaking new ground and has been a long-standing supplier of cutting-edge instruments and materials to ensure successful root canal treatments in humans. These instruments and materials can also be used for treating animals.

Dolphin Dumisa, Hong Kong’s Ocean Park

An eight-year old female bottlenose dolphin called Dumisa, who had been suffering from general dental abrasion underwent hours of root canal treatment. The unusual and complex procedure was carried out in Hong Kong by South African veterinary dentist Cedric Tutt following months of preparation using props to acclimatise Dumisa to the procedure. State-of-the-art endodontic therapeutics were used to treat one damaged tooth by root canal treatment while up to 18 others are in different stages of treatment, all performed without anesthesia or restraint of any kind.