This feat of dentistry certainly takes the crown — literally.
The Lake Superior Zoo in Minnesota has announced that one of its brown bears, named Tundra, underwent a procedure to receive the “first-ever full metal crown placed on a bear.”
As for why a bear would need a dental crown, the zoo says that Tundra suffered a fractured tooth in 2023.
“After a successful root canal, he reinjured the area—so this massive, custom-made crown was created to keep that tooth protected for the rest of his life,” the zoo says.
The procedure was done not by Dr. Dolittle, but by Dr. Grace Brown alongside “the amazing team at Creature Crowns and our [Lake Superior Zoo’s] own zoo staff.”
“It’s also the largest veterinary crown ever created in the world!” the zoo says.
The zoo encourages you to “come visit Tundra soon and give a wave to one very shiny, history-making smile.”