Now in our 13th year of bringing you beautiful imagery from biomedical science every day

Search the archive of over 4000 images

01 April 2012

Saving Teeth

An infected tooth may require root canal treatment [clearing out and decontaminating the interior]. The root canal bends, branches and tapers in a different way within each of our premolars, presenting a significant challenge to the dental surgeon. Pictured are 3-D micro-CT scans of five premolars (four lower jaw and one upper, each viewed from two angles) that reveal the thickness of the dentin wall remaining after excavation. Mapping a tooth’s internal curves and contours like this helps the dentist visualise which root canals have been successfully enlarged, without over-thinning the wall and compromising tooth survival. Thick layers of dentin are depicted in purple, while red highlights areas that may be too thin. Matching dental anatomy with the best excavation technique could greatly improve the success of root canal treatment.

Written by Roz Pidcock

Search The Archive

Submit An Image

Follow on Tumblr

Follow on Instagram

What is BPoD?

BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

Read More

BPoD is also available in Catalan at www.bpod.cat with translations by the University of Valencia.