Everyone braces themselves at the dentist when they hear those five dreaded words: “You need a root canal.” Society has built root canals up to be a big and terrifying procedure, but the truth is it is incredibly common and simple. Millions of people have this small procedure done each year and come out of it with healthier, stronger teeth. But people are often afraid of things they do not know. So what exactly is a root canal? Let’s break it down together to learn the basics and see why we don’t have to be afraid.