Structure and Anatomy of Root Canals
- Center of every tooth contains a hollow area housing soft tissues
- Hollow area has a wide space called the pulp chamber
- Canals run through the center of the roots
- Pulp receives nutrition through blood vessels
- Internal anatomy of teeth is complex and varies
- Root canals have round, oval, or irregular cross-sectional shape
- Lateral parts include fins, anastomoses, and accessory canals
- Cleaning root canals is challenging due to tissue remnants and infectious elements
- Idealistic image of smooth, conical root canals underestimates their complexity

Contents of Root Canals
- Space inside root canals is filled with dental pulp
- Dental pulp is highly vascularized connective tissue
- Dental pulp completes formation of secondary teeth
- Dental pulp nourishes and hydrates tooth structure
- Dental pulp provides hot and cold sensory function

Variation in Root Canals
- Oval cross-section is found in 50-70% of root canals
- Tear-shaped cross-section is common when a single root contains two canals
- Cone-down CT scans can detect accessory canals missed in 23% of cases
- Upper molars are predisposed to have occult accessory canals
- Classical radiographs may not reveal subtle canal variations

Clinical Significance of Root Canals
- Root canal is a colloquial term for endodontic therapy
- Rotary nickel titanium files create circular bore in canals
- Small cavities within canals may be left un-instrumented
- Biofilm remnants in un-instrumented recesses can lead to failure
- Sodium hypochlorite is commonly used as a disinfectant during root canal treatment

Relief and Treatment of Root Canals
- Tooth can be relieved from pain via root canal treatment
- Root canal treatment is a form of endodontic therapy
- Rotary nickel titanium files are used to clean and shape the canals
- Sodium hypochlorite is used as a disinfectant during root canal treatment

Root canal (Wikipedia)

For dental procedures performed on the anatomical root canal, see Root canal treatment.

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A root canal is the naturally occurring anatomic space within the root of a tooth. It consists of the pulp chamber (within the coronal part of the tooth), the main canal(s), and more intricate anatomical branches that may connect the root canals to each other or to the surface of the root.

Root canal
Details
Identifiers
Latin	Canalis radicis dentis
MeSH	D014092
TA98	A05.1.03.049
TA2	932
FMA	55674
Anatomical terminology [edit on Wikidata]