<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-09-16</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000790705</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>TEKELEC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>TKLC</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001442782</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Kensico Offshore Fund II Master Ltd.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O KENSICO CAPITAL MANAGEMENT</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>55 RAILROAD AVENUE, 2ND FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>GREENWICH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CT</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>06830</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001113000</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>KENSICO CAPITAL MANAGEMENT CORP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O KENSICO CAPITAL MANAGEMENT</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>55 RAILROAD AVENUE, 2ND FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>GREENWICH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CT</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>06830</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001443560</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Lowenstein Michael Bernard</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O KENSICO CAPITAL MANAGEMENT</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>55 RAILROAD AVENUE, 2ND FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>GREENWICH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CT</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>06830</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001443559</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Coleman Thomas Jason</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O KENSICO CAPITAL MANAGEMENT</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>55 RAILROAD AVENUE, 2ND FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>GREENWICH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CT</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>06830</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-09-16</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>8700</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>15.05</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>558886</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The securities reported as directly beneficially owned by Kensico Offshore Fund II Master, Ltd. may be deemed to be indirectly beneficially owned by Kensico Capital Management Corp., Thomas Jason Coleman and Michael Bernard Lowenstein.  Michael Bernard Lowenstein and Thomas Jason Coleman are the controlling shareholders of Kensico Capital Management Corp., which is the investment manager of Kensico Offshore Fund II Master, Ltd.  Pursuant to Instruction 4(b)(iv) of Form 4, Kensico Capital Management Corp., Thomas Jason Coleman and Michael Bernard Lowenstein have elected to report as indirectly beneficially owned the entire number of securities owned by Kensico Offshore Fund II Master, Ltd. but each of them disclaims beneficial ownership of any securities, and any proceeds thereof, that exceed its or his pecuniary interest therein and/or that are not actually distributed to it or him.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Michael Bernard Lowenstein, Director of Kensico Capital Management Corp., Investment Manager of Kensico Offshore Fund II Master, Ltd.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-09-17</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Michael Bernard Lowenstein, Director of Kensico Capital Management Corp., LLC</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-09-17</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Michael Bernard Lowenstein</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-09-17</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Thomas Jason Coleman</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-09-17</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
