A sloth in Cheshire has successfully undergone “pioneering” surgery to cure its toothache.
Rico, 25, is believed to be the first sloth to undergo this operation, carried out by a team at Chester Zoo who worked alongside dental experts from Newcastle University.
Zookeepers were the first to spot that the two-toed sloth had swelling on the side of his face. After a series of health check-ups, including a CT scan, it was revealed that Rico had two root abscesses.
Experts from Newcastle University were called in to perform an endodontic procedure.
Fiona Beddis, dentist and associate clinical lecturer at the Newcastle University Department of Restorative Dentistry, said it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to treat Rico.
“It’s a great privilege to treat such a rare and beautiful animal. I felt great empathy with Rico as I underwent the same procedure on my front tooth when I was 16 years old and this in fact inspired me to become a dentist. Rico experienced much less post-operative swelling than I did,” she said.
“Having never carried out this procedure on a sloth, it really was a step into the unknown, so we are all delighted with the successful outcome."
The specialist team removed infected tissue surrounding two of the sloth’s teeth - large triangular molars with crooked tips, which are specially evolved for the sloth’s diet of tough leaves and vegetables.
Unlike a typical root canal, the dental experts went in through the bottom of Rico’s tooth, through the side of his mandible. As well as saving one of his teeth, they also stopped the infection from spreading.
Charlotte Bentley, veterinary resident at the zoo, said: “Sloths have very different teeth to humans, which makes dentistry challenging. The large sharp teeth that were affected in Rico were caniniform teeth, which are highly specialised molars.
"Like so many things with sloths, the exact purpose of these specialised sharp teeth is not fully understood. However, they are thought to serve an important role in biting and shearing their food, so we were eager to try to avoid any extractions during the initial operation.
“Whilst we couldn’t save both teeth, the great news is that since his procedure, the abscesses have not come back, and his latest x-ray shows his filling is still in place. It’s safe to say that the treatment worked at treating his toothache.”
The team had to persuade Rico to position himself for an X-ray using gentle training techniques where possible, to avoid repeat anaesthetics for routine procedures.
Rico had already been trained by zookeeper Brittany Williams to climb down towards his keepers when they called his name in a low voice. Ms Williams has worked with him over several years to get him comfortable with being checked over for lumps and bumps and to keep his mouth open so his teeth can be inspected.
“He goes at his own pace,” she said. “But I don’t mind working at sloth speed.”
As part of the recall training, Rico learned that if he touches his nose to the end of a target stick, he receives a reward. Brittany moved the target stick away and he followed in pursuit of another snack. Through this, he was able to move into the right place for health checks and X-rays.
Ms Williams said: “We are really lucky with Rico. I started working with him two or three years ago to get him used to conscious claw-checking, as they grow continuously and need trimming every few months.
“Rico is very food motivated, so once I found out his favourite snacks, cooked parsnips and corn kernels, it was just a case of being consistent and having lots of patience.
“As soon as he learns a behaviour, that’s it. It’s like riding a bike. He won’t forget it. He’s come down every day for a year when we’ve called for him, and he generally responds on the first attempt from anywhere in his habitat. He’s still learning to keep his mouth open for a little longer for dental checks, but he’s getting there.”
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