Experts from West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, and the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding have completed what they describe as the world's first functional orthopedic treatment for mandibular asymmetry in a giant panda.

Using intraoral scans and 3D digital technology, the team designed a custom appliance for four-year-old Beixia, whose jaw had shifted left after injuries sustained shortly after birth. After six months of treatment, Beixia's jaw was largely corrected and his sucking, chewing and swallowing functions returned to normal.