Root canal is a dental procedure which helps in removing the entire internal parts, mainly pulp chamber of the tooth. It also involves the filling of the prepared empty cavity with a suitable bio-compatible material. This procedure is done and advised only when the tooth can not compensate restoring material in a small cavity on the surface. The procedure involves the removal of the nervous elements of the tooth which have been infected or decayed already due to microbial action or any physical pressures.

The procedure that involves the root canal is also called as root canal therapy or root canal treatment. This is the only procedure that can help when the entire pulp and its contents are decayed. If we have a tooth whose internal structures are damaged, we may benefit from root canal therapy. Root canal therapy can restore our tooth to its state of health by treating the damaged part of our tooth.

The goal of root canal therapy is to improve the health of our damaged tooth. During treatment, the pulp is removed from our root canals through a small opening in the crown. Then the canals are cleaned and disinfected. Root canal treatment is needed for two main reasons: infection or irreversible damage to the pulp. An untreated cavity is a common cause of pulp infection.

Treatment may take one or more visits. The tooth is first numbed. Using delicate, up-and-down motions, our dentist gently cleans and smoothes our canals to disinfect them and prepares them for filling. The canals are then sealed with an inert material that occupies the space vacated by the removal of the pulp. After the inside of our tooth has been treated, the outside will be restored to protect our tooth's underlying structures and to bring the tooth back into function. Our dentist will usually cover the tooth with a ceramic or metal crown.

After root canal therapy, our tooth continues to be nourished by the surrounding gums and bone. After root canal therapy our tooth should function and feel like our other teeth. We must take care of our treated tooth the same way we would take of our other teeth. The goals of root canal treatment are to save the tooth and allow it to be retained in the mouth for many years in a state of health, function, and comfort. Root canal treatment is directed towards removing diseased tissue from the inside of the tooth and subsequently filling and sealing the root canal space in order to minimize the possibility of future re-infection.