X-Ray of a Root Canal

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Part of the video series: Do I Need a Root Canal?

Summary: What your rotten teeth really look like. Learn what root canals look like in an x-ray in this dental health video from an experienced dentist.

Views: 596 | Tags: tooth, dental, teeth, surgery, dentist, root, oral, canal, surgeon


About the Expert

Michael Chen Michael Chen is presently teaching courses about implant dentistry to other dentists. They range from introductory to advance courses. Dr. Chen uses implant c... read more

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Video Transcript

X-Ray of a Root Canal

The x-rays allow us to see if there's any difference, and basically when you look at the model, the x-ray will allow us to basically see if there's any infection at the root tip. For the most part that's the first sign of basically the bone destruction. The x-ray in the back over here, you can see the dark chamber in the center of the tooth. That's where the nerve situates and that's where we look at, so if the bacteria, or the cavity, starts from here and it doesn't come close to the nerve, for the most part we just need to do a filling, but if it comes very close to the nerve, then we know for the most part, we basically have no choice. We do have to go in there and do a root canal, because the nerve tissue has been compromised. That tooth structure, when it comes close to the nerve, basically we do know in the tooth the tooth structures are not solid wall, even though there's a structure there. There's a calcium structure there, but microscopically it's very porous. That means the bacteria can pass through, back and forth. See, when you look at this tooth, it looks like it's a sound tooth structure, but these structures around the root are all porous. Only the enamel is not porous, so when we drink something or when we eat something, we don't feel the sensitivity, but when we do feel the feel the sensitivity, for the most part it's due to the exposure of the root area, if there's no cavity. But if there is cavity then there's exposure of the inside of the tooth structure and because of that, that's where the symptoms arise from. Basically, temperature sensation or to sweet or even to chewing because of the change of pressure and because of the exposure of the inner part of the tooth.

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