A modern root canal is not the painful ordeal its reputation suggests – it’s a routine procedure that relieves pain rather than causing it. Because the area is fully numbed, most patients say it feels similar to getting a filling. During the procedure, the dentist removes infected or inflamed tissue from inside the tooth, cleans and disinfects the canal, and seals it, usually finishing with a crown. The pain people associate with root canals actually comes from the infected tooth beforehand – the treatment is what makes it stop.

Few dental procedures have a worse reputation than the root canal – and few reputations are less deserved. Modern root canals are routine, comfortable, and tooth-saving. Let’s clear up the myths and walk through what actually happens.