Root canal therapy or endodontics is required usually when a tooth is infected or inflamed. The inflammation can result from disruption in the vessels leading to poor blood and mineral supply, periodontal disease or bacterial profileration in the area or severe trauma or fracture. The pulp can be damaged or compromised for these reasons which are why treatment is required as soon as possible.

Root Canal treatment or Endodontic therapy is a sequence of treatments for the pulp of a tooth where the end result is the elimination of infection and protection of the decontaminated tooth from future microbial invasion. Although this set of procedures is commonly referred to as a root canal, this term is imprecise. Endodontic therapy includes the complete removal of these structures, the subsequent cleaning, shaping and decontamination of these spaces and/or filling of the decontaminated root canals with an inert filling. After the surgery the tooth will be "dead", and if the infection has spread, root end surgery is required.