Root canal treatment has been popularized in the media and most people are somewhat familiar with the name of this procedure. We find that while most people recognize the name of the procedure, many have misconceptions of what this procedure actually entails. The purpose of the procedure is to remove the nerve tissue from severely decayed teeth thereby eliminating the pain they can cause and the need to extract them. The procedure is reserved for teeth that have a strategic location in supporting other teeth, maintaining spacing between teeth or maintaining the alignment of other teeth. The alternative to saving teeth is extraction, which can lead too much greater cost and discomfort in the very near future. Since local anesthesia is administered before this treatment, the procedure is virtually painless. Most patients suffer far greater from anxiety than the minimal discomfort from this procedure.