Root Filling x-ray

The dental xray seen on the left shows a dental abscess associated with the upper left central and lateral incisor teeth, during the initial stages of root canal treatment. The dental xray on the right shows the teeth after the dentist has completed root canal treatment. The radio-opaque (white) stripes in the canals are ‘gutter percha’, which are used in root canal treatment to fill space previously filled by the pulp (dental nerve). Due to the tendency for root filled teeth to discolour, cosmetic treatment may be considered such as tooth whitening or veneers.