US EditionAlaska Brown Bear Gets Largest Dental Crown Ever Created
DULUTH, MINNESOTA, JUN 25 – Tundra, an 800-pound Alaskan brown bear, received the largest titanium alloy crown ever made for a bear’s tooth after reinjuring it, in a pioneering veterinary dental procedure.
- On Monday, June 23, 2025, a 6-year-old Alaskan brown bear named Tundra at the Lake Superior Zoo in Duluth was fitted with a new metal canine tooth crown in a pioneering procedure.
- The procedure followed Tundra fracturing the same tooth in 2023, having a root canal two years ago, then reinjuring the tooth, which led to the decision to fit the new, stronger titanium alloy crown.
- The hour-long procedure was overseen by veterinary dentist Dr. Grace Brown, with assistance from Creature Crowns, Minnesota Veterinary Dental Specialists, iM3, and zoo personnel, using a crown fashioned from a wax mold of Tundra’s tooth.
- Caroline Routley, the marketing manager at the zoo, noted that Tundra now has a noticeable sparkle in his smile and described the crown as the largest ever made. The zoo also invited visitors to come see Tundra’s unique, history-making grin.
- The procedure succeeded without complications, with Tundra back to normal behavior, and all care donated, suggesting a significant advancement in veterinary dentistry for large carnivores.
42 Articles
42 Articles
Bear Gets Tooth Capped With 'Largest Crown Ever Created'
An Alaskan brown bear at the Lake Superior Zoo in northeastern Minnesota has a gleaming new silver-colored canine tooth in a first-of-its-kind procedure for a bear, the AP reports. The 800-pound Tundra was put under sedation Monday and fitted with a new crown—the largest dental crown ever created, according...
Bear in Duluth fitted with metal fang, the "largest veterinary crown" in the world, zoo says
By Cole Premo Click here for updates on this story DULUTH, Minnesota (WCCO) — A brown bear in northern Minnesota has made “dental history” after receiving a full metal crown that is the first of its kind, according to zoo staff. On Monday, Lake Superior Zoo in Duluth announced that the bear, named Tundra, needed the dental procedure after fracturing his tooth back in 2023. Although he underwent a successful root canal following the initial i…
Associated Press News
An Alaska brown bear has a new shiny smile after getting a huge metal crown for a canine tooth
An Alaska brown bear at the Lake Superior Zoo in northeastern Minnesota has a gleaming new silver-colored canine tooth after a first-of-its-kind procedure.
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