A Palm Beach, FL, orthodontist has fitted the shell of a 171-lb sea turtle with a special set of brackets to help the animal recover from injuries inflicted by a boat propeller, the Palm Beach Post reported.
Alberto Vargas, DMD, who named the turtle Andre after the famous professional wrestler, performed the work for free. Andre was found in June 2010 on a sandbar with two deep wounds in his shell, the article stated. Three pounds of sand and a live crab were removed from the wound before it could be cleaned at a local animal hospital, the Post noted.
After the injury was cleaned, it was covered with black foam and clear plastic to help it heal. Next, a plastic tube connecting the shell to a device creating negative pressure promoted growth while preventing infection, the article noted.
Dr. Vargas then attached braces to the shell, turning a key each day to expand it, the Post reported. Andre's shell is now strong enough to survive the pressures of deep water and will soon be released.
