Endodontics is a branch of dentistry that focuses on the treatment of diseases and injuries in the pulp (nerve tissue) of a tooth and the surrounding tissues. Root canal treatment, also known as endodontic treatment, is a procedure used to treat diseases of the pulp in the tooth.

During root canal treatment, infected nerve tissue, blood vessels, and other debris are removed from the root canal of the tooth. The root canal is then cleaned and shaped using canal files and disinfectant solutions, and sealed with tissue-friendly filling materials.

There are several steps involved in root canal treatment:

1. Anesthesia is administered to numb the tooth and make the treatment painless.
2. The decay is cleaned and the infected and soft tissue is removed from the core of the tooth. The nerves and tissue residues are also removed.
3. The root canal is shaped up to the root tip. Medications may be applied to accelerate healing, if necessary.
4. Between the fourth and final sessions, the tooth is covered with temporary filling materials until it has fully healed. Once it is determined that the inflammation has stopped and the root tip has healed, the root canal is filled up to the root tip with special filling material.
5. In some cases, all of these sessions may not be necessary and the root canal treatment can be completed in a single session.