Endodontics is the branch of dentistry concerned with the diagnostic assessment and treatment of the dental pulp (the innermost tissue of the tooth containing nerves, arterioles, venules, lymphatics and connective tissue) as well as associated periapical conditions (conditions at the root tip).
In clinical practice, endodontic therapy may involve preservation of viable pulp (vital pulp therapy) or complete removal of inflamed or necrotic pulp tissue (as in a conventional root canal treatment). The cleaned and shaped root-canal system is then filled and sealed to prevent reinfection.
For cases where previous treatment has failed or new pathology has arisen (for example persistent infection, new lesion at root tip, or anatomical complexity), retreatment of root canal systems, apicoectomy (surgical removal of root tip and infected tissue) or other specialised endodontic approaches may be employed.
In short, endodontic treatment is one of the most frequently performed dental interventions when pulp disease or injury is present; its goal is to preserve the natural tooth, thereby maintaining function, occlusion and aesthetics.