Root Filling x-ray

The dental xray seen on the left shows a dental abscess associated with the upper premolar. 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 the space previously filled by the pulp (dental nerve). Root filled teeth tend to become more brittle than normal teeth and also discolour with time. With this in mind, a dentist may wish to use a crown or other restorations to improve the strength and appearance of the tooth.