Des Moines, Iowa – October 31, 2008 – Every kid growing up has heard it: “It’s always fun until someone gets hurt.” That was the case this week when Nyota, a 10-year-old bonobo at Great Ape Trust of Iowa, suffered a mouth injury while roughhousing with fellow bonobo Kanzi. Great Ape Trust staff veterinarian, Dr. Brigetta Hughes says play time turned serious when Nyota had two front teeth loosened during a romp in the bonobos’ greenhouse. The injury prompted a call to veterinary dentist Dr. Pierre Tung of St. Louis, who traveled to Des Moines to assess the injury.
“Once Nyota was anesthetized, we determined he suffered a fracture of the right quadrant of the maxilla, or upper jaw, between his right canine and second incisor. Fortunately, the teeth were intact and wouldn’t need to be extracted,” said Tung. “We applied basic principles of fracture repair and wrapped thin, orthopedic wire around two adjoining, stable teeth to act as a scaffold. A soft acrylic material was then molded into place and, once it hardened, served as a splint.”
Tung says the device will remain in place for six to eight weeks, and Nyota will be able to eat what he wants and perform normally. “But no roughhousing for awhile”, he added.
Nyota was sedated throughout Wednesday’s procedure and is recovering wonderfully. Assisting with the procedure were Hughes and Great Ape Trust consulting veterinarian, Dr. Dennis Riordan from Ankeny, Iowa.
A slide show and video of Nyota’s dental procedure, including comments from Dr. Tung, can be viewed at www.GreatApeTrust.org.
Background Information
Great Ape Trust is a scientific research facility in Des Moines, Iowa, dedicated to understanding the origins and future of culture, language, tools and intelligence, and to the preservation of endangered great apes in their natural habitats. Announced in 2002 and receiving its first ape residents in 2004, Great Ape Trust is home to a colony of seven bonobos involved in noninvasive interdisciplinary studies of their cognitive and communicative capabilities. To learn more about Great Ape Trust, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, go to GreatApeTrust.org, BonoboHope.org, www.facebook.com/GreatApeTrust or www.twitter.com/GreatApeTrust.
