In popular culture, a root canal tends to be shorthand for a big scary dental procedure. This procedure has a bad reputation, but not only is a root canal not as scary as television or movies would have you believe, but it also comes with plenty of benefits for your oral health. Millions of teeth are treated—and saved!—every year through root canals. What Is a Root Canal? A root canal is considered an endodontic treatment, which means it treats the inside of the tooth. The inside of your tooth contains dental pulp, which is made up of blood vessels, nerves and connective tissue. When …