A DENTIST from London Zoo couldn t monkey around on his latest assignment – tending to the toothache of a rather large gorilla. Peter Kertesz – who runs a dental practice on Harley Street in central London and also helps out at Regent s Park Zoo – normall

A DENTIST from London Zoo couldn't monkey around on his latest assignment - tending to the toothache of a rather large gorilla.

Peter Kertesz - who runs a dental practice on Harley Street in central London and also helps out at Regent's Park Zoo - normally tends to the molars of millionaires but was asked to operate on Pertinax the silverback in Paignton Zoo, Devon.

The 28-stone animal had to be sedated while Dr Kertesz took two hours to remove the three-inch root of a broken canine.

He was called in because he is one of a handful of specialist animal dentists in the world, and was the only hope for Pertinax's throbbing toothache.

Mr Kertesz said: "Animals or people, it's all the same - they need treatment, they get treatment. The scale is what varies, and the location. It is all about teamwork.

"People ask if this is just a bit of fun, but it is a very serious business - the health and sometimes the life of a rare creature is placed in your hands.