Silverback's 'brush' with dentist

Pertinax had a 3in (7.6cm) root removed from a broken canine

A silverback Western gorilla is recovering after undergoing dental treatment at Paignton Zoo in Devon.

Pertinax, who weighs in at 179kg (28st), spent two hours in the dentist's chair to have the root of a broken canine tooth removed.

Peter Kertesz, one of only a few specialist zoo dentists in the world, carried out the work on the primate.

Pertinax was "understandably groggy" afterwards but soon back to his normal self, the zoo said.

Mr Kertesz has worked on exotic species around the world, including gorillas, whales, pandas and elephants.

"Animals or people, it's all the same - they need treatment, they get treatment," he said.

"The scale is what varies - and the location. It is all about teamwork."

Peter Kertesz has worked on gorillas, whales and elephants

The team assembled for this job included Mr Kertesz, his dental nurse Emma Roper, Paignton Zoo vet Ghislaine Sayers and veterinary nurses Kelly Elford and Emily Gorman.

Great ape keepers Lee Hayley, Craig Gilchrist and Brian Baxter were also in attendance with Neil Bemment, the zoo's Curator of Mammals.

Pertinax is the 25-year-old leader of the zoo's batchelor group of gorillas.