According to the American Association of Endodontists, more than 15 million root canals are performed on patients around the nation every year. In fact, each day around 41,000 root canals are completed.  

Usually extreme pain sends patients reluctantly to the dentist to seek treatment they have been avoiding, since the cause of many root canals is decay that has gone unaddressed over time. In the past, root canals were the unchallenged, go-to treatment when the inside of the tooth became too infected for a simple filling. However, in recent years they have become a controversial topic, especially with the emergence of a community of dentists who take a more natural approach.