root canal

noun

: the part of the pulp cavity lying in the root of a tooth
also : a dental operation to save a tooth by removing the contents of its root canal and filling the cavity with a protective substance

Examples of root canal in a Sentence

I need to have a root canal.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
These things have made the race as pleasant as a root canal. Matt Fleming, Oc Register, 27 May 2026 Dentists have also developed alternatives to root canals over the decades, Fontana added. The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 May 2026 One of the strongest sections centers on Morgan having a tooth pulled as a kid because his family couldn’t afford a root canal instead. Brandon Kochkodin, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026 As recently as 2024, the dental office was used by former President Joe Biden, who received a root canal in the White House. Mike Stunson, USA Today, 15 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for root canal

Word History

First Known Use

1864, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of root canal was in 1864

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Root canal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/root%20canal. Accessed 1 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

root canal

noun
: the space in the root of a tooth that contains soft sensitive tissue
also : a dental procedure to save a tooth by removing this tissue when diseased or injured and filling the space with a protective material

Medical Definition

root canal

noun
1
: the part of the pulp cavity lying in the root of a tooth

called also pulp canal

2
: a dental operation to save a tooth by removing the contents of its root canal and filling the cavity with a protective substance (as gutta-percha)
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