root canal

American  

noun

Dentistry.

root canals plural

1. Also called pulp canal.  the root portion of the pulp cavity.

2. Informal. root canal therapy.

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root canal British  

noun

1. the passage in the root of a tooth through which its nerves and blood vessels enter the pulp cavity

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• root canals
  plural

Etymology

Origin of root canal

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

root canal

Recent studies found that people who underwent root canal treatment for chronic infections at the tip of the tooth root experienced lower blood sugar levels and reduced inflammation over the next two years.

From Science Daily ● May 16, 2026

Some patients are given a choice: have the tooth removed on the NHS or have specialist root canal work to save it, but only if they are prepared to go private, she says.

From BBC ● Mar. 24, 2026

The researchers found several encouraging changes in patients after successful root canal treatment.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 15, 2026

Pressure is building on Mr. Johnson to bring the House back to start over, a prospect almost as appealing as a root canal.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2025

"A monochrome Jackson Pollock," Jane says, and then tells Tiny, "We gotta bolt. This band is like a root canal sans painkiller."

From "Will Grayson, Will Grayson" by John Green and David Levithan