Dentist gives injured bald eagle prosthetic beak

Published: February 6, 2010 

An Alaska dentist has given a bald eagle a unique beak -- using a temporary crown, sticky poster putty and yellow highlighter. The bird was found in December with severe damage to his beak, apparently from fishing line that wrapped around it and started cutting into it.

Cindy Palmatier at the Bird Treatment and Learning Center says staff there decided to turn to dentist Kirk Johnson, who thought of patching up the beak with the same material used to make temporary crowns for people.

The "crown" is being held on with poster putty, and Johnson colored it in using highlighter to give it a yellow tint.

The bird center says the eagle, whom they dubbed Cyrano, is doing just fine but won't be able to return to the wild. He has to have his fish chopped up for him.

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