Dr. Carsell may perform root canal therapy to repair and save a damaged or infected tooth. A root canal procedure includes removing the diseased or damaged area of the tooth, called the pulp. Then, that damaged area is cleaned and disinfected before it is filled and sealed. The need for a root canal procedure may occur because of a cracked tooth, a deep cavity, or trauma. It is called a “root canal” because it involves the cleaning out of the canals inside the tooth’s root.