Partial pulpectomy of a tusk fracture with pulp exposure in a North Sulawesi babirusa (Babyrousa celebensis)

A 6-year-old, male North Sulawesi babirusa (Babyrousa celebensis) kept at a zoological institution, suffered a tusk fracture of unknown origin, associated with pulp exposure and a relapse of the fracture after 10 months. In other tusked animals, endodontic therapy has been reported to treat acute pulp exposure and to preserve the growing tusk. Therefore, a partial pulpectomy was attempted in the babirusa, combined with systemic antibiotic and anti-inflammatory therapy. Under general anaesthesia, the partial pulpectomy was performed twice, followed by a direct pulp capping with mineral trioxide aggregate and closure of the coronal pulp opening using glass ionomer cement and composite. Partial pulpectomies have been performed in babirusas before, but using mineral trioxide aggregate as pulp capping is a novel treatment regimen. It was performed without complications, and the tusk continued to grow. Over a follow-up period of 14 months, the tusk was successfully preserved in absence of any relapse or instability.