An endodontist may use a surgical or non-surgical approach to root canal therapy to treat decay and infection and save the tooth. While the two techniques are similar, there are a few differences that are important to understand. The most common approach to root canal therapy is the non-surgical route. It is similar to getting a deep filling, as it is performed under local anesthesia and involves drilling into the diseased tooth. After the diseased pulp is extracted, the endodontist reconstructs the natural form of the tooth. If the structure of the tooth is badly damaged, the specialist may place a metal post in the canal along with a temporary crown. One of the main advantages of non-surgical root canal treatment is that it can be performed in one visit. A surgical root canal treatment, on the other hand, is usually performed if the non-surgical approach fails or if a more invasive technique is necessary to successfully address the infection. This technique is necessary to identify tiny fractures or hidden canals that were not visible on the pre-treatment X-ray. In this procedure, a small incision in the gum is necessary to access the root of the tooth.