A root canal procedure and a tooth extraction procedure are as different as chalk and cheese from a treatment point of view. But they have one thing in common—they are recommended for a decayed and damaged tooth. If you have either of the dental problems, you will have to choose one of the treatments.
In this blog post, we discuss the pros and cons of both root canal and tooth extraction. After reading this you can choose the best treatment for yourself.
Pros of root canal
A root canal involves the removal of abscesses and infection from the roots and pulp. After which, a crown is placed to seal the teeth. It is highly recommended in case of tooth decay and abscesses.
1. Retain your natural teeth for a long time
A root canal procedure entails the treatment of the decayed tooth by removing the infected tissue and abscesses. When performed by a qualified and experienced endodontist, it can retain your natural tooth for a lifetime.
2. Excellent value for money
A root canal treatment may look pricey but it provides exceptional value for the money invested in the procedure. Moreover, it prevents more expensive and complicated procedures such as tooth replacement. The cost of a high-quality root canal treatment in Roswell can range between $2000 and $4000.
3. Safeguards the jawbone from degeneration
Nothing can stimulate the jaw bone and safeguards it from resorption like natural teeth. After a root canal procedure preserves the natural tooth, the jaw bone receives the necessary stimulation to grow strong and avoid degeneration.
4. High success rate
A root canal procedure has an extremely high success rate, which is between 90 and 95 percent. A study found a success rate of 98 percent when experienced endodontists performed the procedure. The success rate of general practitioners was 90 percent, as per the study. This underlines the importance of selecting the right endodontists for the procedure.
5. Prevents shifting of the teeth
A gap between teeth can cause shifting and can result in chewing and biting issues. A root canal treatment does not leave any gaps between the teeth and prevents shifting of the surrounding teeth.
6. Protects the dental structure
A root canal procedure protects the dental structure by eliminating the imbalance resulting from the absent tooth.
7. Relief from pain
A root canal treatment provides relief from pain by removing decay and abscess—the sources of pain and discomfort. A tooth extraction, on the other hand, can cause pain for some days after the procedure.
8. Maintains appearance and gives confidence
As root canal treatments preserve affected teeth, they maintain the patient’s facial appearance and give them the confidence to smile uninhibitedly.
Cons of root canal treatment
A root canal treatment also has its share of demerits.
1. Invasive and complicated procedure
Unlike a tooth extraction procedure, a root canal treatment is an extremely invasive and complicated procedure. In fact, it is one of the most complicated restorative dental procedures. That’s why it’s extremely important to select a professional endodontist who has an excellent track record of performing the procedure and a high success rate.
2. Can’t redeem a deeply infected tooth
A root canal procedure can’t restore a tooth if its deepest pockets of pulp are severely infected. Moreover, if the tooth has lost a major portion to decay and has no space to hold a crown, then root canal treatment becomes an untenable option.
3. Limited expertise
Let’s be honest; a root canal treatment is an extremely painstaking and precise procedure that needs the expertise of a highly experienced and skilled endodontist. It can be extremely difficult to find a trustworthy and reputable endodontist in smaller cities.
Pros of tooth extraction procedure
The tooth extraction procedure is probably the first dental procedure in the history of human civilization. It won’t be relevant now if it didn’t have some unique benefits. Here are some of those.
1. Effective in severe tooth infections and decay
A tooth extraction procedure is the only solution if a tooth is deeply infected and decayed down to its roots and cannot be restored by a root canal procedure.
2. Effective for crowded teeth
A tooth extraction procedure is effective to remove crowded teeth. It can enable dentists to fit braces or other dental appliances for the realignment of teeth.
3. Takes less time
A tooth extraction procedure is one of the fastest dental procedures that can be performed in an hour or so and it doesn’t usually require more than one visit to the dentist.
4. Affordable in the short-term
Tooth extraction is much cheaper compared to root canal procedures in the short run. While the latter can cost a couple of thousand dollars, the former can be done for a few hundreds of dollars.
Cons of tooth extraction
As dentistry techniques are advancing leaps and bounds in the 21st century, tooth extraction is so primitive. Even though the procedure has its advantages, it also has its share of demerits.
1. Long-term cost of replacing the tooth
Once the tooth is extracted, the cost of replacing it with a natural-looking dental appliance such as a bridge and implant can be more expensive. Apart from that the replacement procedures also need regular visits to the dentist.
2. Affects the jaw bone and causes shifting of the teeth
A tooth extraction procedure leaves a gap between the teeth. This can affect the jawbone and put immense pressure on the adjacent teeth during eating and chewing. That can cause the adjacent teeth to shift and weaken.
3. Enhances the risks of infection and nerve damage
Tooth extraction poses a huge risk of infection and nerve damage in the affected tooth. After the extraction of an infected tooth, some bacteria may persist in the root area. Poor dental hygiene can exacerbate the problems and cause infections. The procedure can also cause nerve damage if not done with proper care.
4. Delay in healing
A tooth extraction takes time to heal. It is not suitable for people suffering from health ailments such as diabetes and immune-compromised diseases.
All things considered,
When it comes to long-term dental care, a root canal treatment is considerably better than a tooth extraction. If you have a choice between the two, then you would be better off choosing the former.
