Root Canal Treatment x-ray

The dental xray seen here on the left shows the appearance of a non vital premolar before root canal treatment has been carried out. The dental xray on the right shows the teeth after the dentist has completed root canal treatment. The radio-opaque (white) stripe in the canal is ‘gutter percha’, which is 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.