Root canal therapy is indicated when a tooth is severely damaged by large fillings and needs a reconstruction, or when a tooth is painful or infected. This procedure allows saving a tooth instead of having it extracted, since it is the foundation of a comprehensive tooth reconstruction.

Technically, it involves cleaning, disinfecting, and shaping the canal, which is a space in the center of a tooth by accessing it through a small hole on the biting surface. This space is the filled with a material called Gutta Percha, a biocompatible polymer that comes from a type of Malaysian tree.

Following a root canal, a crown is needed to prevent breaking the tooth and to prevent leakage.