Trauma-Associated Dental Displacement, Dental Disease, and Malocclusion in a Young Giant Panda (A melanoleuca).

Abstract

Giant pandas in the wild and captivity have been shown to suffer from dental disease. In this article, we describe a clinical case which developed a facial swelling secondary to dental disease as a result of trauma to the young panda about 5 years previously. The lesion responded to antibiotic therapy but recurred as soon as the antibiotic course ended. Computed tomography showed the extent of dental disease, which also affected other teeth, and enabled surgical planning and confirmation that the teeth and roots were completely extracted. Computed tomography is the essential diagnostic imaging modality in giant panda dentistry.