A root canal is a treatment used to repair and save a tooth that is badly decayed or becomes infected. During a root canal procedure, the nerve and pulp is removed and the inside of the tooth is cleaned and sealed.

The pulp or pulp chamber is the soft area within the center of the tooth. The tooth's nerve lies within root canals, which lie within the roots or "legs" of the tooth. The root canals travel from the tip of the tooth's root into the pulp chamber, which also contains blood vessels and connective tissue that nourish the tooth.

If a tooth’s pulp (nerve and blood supply) become infected or inflamed, root canal treatment is often the only way to save the tooth.