Howletts tiger Amir treated by Harley Street dentist Published duration 7 December 2014

image copyright PA image caption Amir was sedated and taken to the on-site hospital for treatment

A Harley Street dental surgeon stared danger in the mouth when he operated on a tiger's teeth.

Amir, a nine-year-old rare Sumatran tiger, needed fillings on three chipped front teeth to prevent any future pain.

He was sedated at Howletts Wild Animal Park in Kent and taken to the on-site hospital for treatment by moggy molar expert Peter Kertesz.

Park vet Jane Hopper said Amir has made a purr-fect recovery, but would keep an eye on him over the next few weeks.

Experts said it was a difficult procedure because the tooth's root could be six times longer in a tiger than a human.

Ben Warren, head of the carnivore section at the park, near Canterbury, said: "Although the broken teeth weren't causing him any discomfort, we knew that a filling would be the best course of action to prevent any deterioration."

image copyright PA image caption The procedure was carried out to prevent future deterioration of Amir's teeth