China corrects panda Bei Xia’s jaw asymmetry — ECNS
In China, giant panda Bei Xia underwent functional orthopedic treatment for asymmetry of the lower jaw. As ECNS reports, this was the first case in the world of such treatment for a panda.
Injury after birth
Bei Xia was born in 2022 at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. Less than a day after her birth, her mother injured her left front paw and jaw. Due to the severity of the injury, the paw was later amputated.
As the animal grew, its lower jaw gradually shifted to the left. This prevented the panda from sucking and chewing food normally.
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Six months of treatment
A team from the West China Hospital of Stomatology at Sichuan University applied principles used in orthodontics for humans. Custom orthodontic appliances and elastic traction devices were made for Bei Xia to guide the development of her jaw.
The treatment lasted six months. After it was completed, the displacement of the lower jaw was largely corrected, and the functions of sucking, chewing and swallowing were restored.
