ZOODENT

Elephant tusks are the largest teeth that require treatment.

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These vulnerable structures are often fractured in the wild and in zoos, with the pulp inside becoming exposed and infected. This can become a serious threat to the life of the animal and numerous cases have been reported where the sudden death of an elephant was contributed to an infected tusk.

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The most appropriate therapy of these exposures must be judged on the merit of each case, whether conservative therapy is practical or advisable; or if extraction is mandatory. Elephant tusk surgery requires more specialised equipment and experience than any other aspect of veterinary dentistry and should not be taken lightly.