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

For root canal treatment, for example, NHS treatment costs five times less than it does to go privately.

From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2026

It also found a wide variation in root canal charges with prices in some places reaching £660 compared to a £400 average.

From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2026

One study using advanced metabolic testing found that root canal therapy not only cleared the infection but was also associated with better blood sugar control and lower levels of inflammatory markers.

From Science Daily ● May 16, 2026

Researchers followed participants for two years after their root canal procedures.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 15, 2026

“Your dad scheduled a root canal at five P.M., so we won’t be home until later.”

From "Love, Hate & Other Filters" by Samira Ahmed