COLLEGE STATION (August 20, 2009)--A not-so-grizzly dental patient at Texas A&M was laid out and sedated to care for his big teeth and avoid his huge paws.

Veterinarians Wednesday at Texas A& did a root canal procedure on Tibore, a 17-year-old North American black bear.

Owner Lana Steeples said the trained bear showed signs of discomfort when he ate and drank, so she "worried he needed some dental work done."

KBTX-TV reported that experts at the Texas A&M veterinary hospital welcomed the furry patient, weighing several hundred pounds.

Dr. Johnathon Dodd said it's very common for wild animals to have dental problems because of their aggressive nature.

Dodd said animals "fight, they chew on things, they chew on bones, they break teeth."