Panda in Taiwan gets world's first orthodontic brace

File photo of Giant panda Tuan Tuan (Photo provided by Taipei Zoo)

Giant panda Tuan Tuan, who was sent to Taiwan by the mainland, has become the world's first panda to receive an orthodontic brace after a dental surgery.

Tuan Tuan's upper left canine was found bleeding and damaged in Taipei Zoo on December 9 and a surgery was performed to repair the damaged tooth last Sunday, reported China Times on Monday.

To reduce the risk of infection, doctors first activated the sympathetic nervous system to prevent the dental pulp tissue from damaging.

After receiving the treatment, an orthodontic brace, designed by the zoo's special medical team, was installed onto the panda's canine tooth, protecting him from damaging it again and allowing his mouth to heal and do daily necessities such as eating bamboos.

Giant panda's daily diet usually consists of various bamboo species besides the leaves and stems, therefore, they require strong bite forces to chew the very hard food. It was vital that the medical team chose the most suitable material to make the braces.

They choose to make the brace out of titanium, a type of metal material that is widely used in making medical instruments as it has favorable features such as being biocompatible, non-toxic and being highly unlikely to reject.

The successful surgery is the world's first of its kind performed on a giant panda and is a milestone for Taiwan's veterinary medicine professions, reported the Taiwan News.

Tuan Tuan, along with Yuan Yuan, arrived in Taipei Zoo in 2008 as gifts given by the mainland. Their names were announced during the Spring Festival Gala in Beijing in 2006, picked from numerous suggestions sent in by Chinese people.