Imagine you’re visiting your emergency dentist. You have a severe tooth infection, so you’ve chosen to see them for treatment. After the initial oral exam, they explain that your options are a root canal vs. a tooth extraction. Of these two procedures, which one should you pick? Knowing the better choice is crucial, as it could improve oral health. If you don’t know, though, don’t worry — your Rockville dental practice can explain. Here are the pros and cons of root canal therapy and tooth extraction, including why the former service is usually better.
What’s Root Canal Therapy?
Put simply, root canal therapy is a treatment that repairs a badly damaged or infected tooth. In particular, it removes a pearly white’s pulp to eliminate harmful oral bacteria.
The main pro of a root canal is that it saves the affected tooth. For the procedure, a dentist only drills into the latter, clears out the infected pulp, and seals up the resulting hole. So long as its innards are cleaned before sealing, the tooth is thus closed off from further infection.
On the other hand, root canals can be pricy. They cost a few hundred dollars at least, with the price rising based on the treated tooth’s type and location. Furthermore, a root canal needs to be capped with a crown — an extra procedure that adds to your expense.
What’s a Tooth Extraction?
Per the name, an extraction pulls a highly damaged tooth from its socket. Typically, a dentist will only perform one in response to an extreme dental emergency.
The upside to extractions is that they’re simple and cheap. For a low upfront cost, a dentist can numb the affected area, remove the tooth with special tools, and then stitch up the socket. Plus, this process would only take 20 to 40 minutes.
Unfortunately, tooth extractions involve long-term complications. Besides effects like bleeding, swelling, and discomfort, they also put you at risk of dry socket and post-surgery infection.
Which Option is Better?
By most standards, root canal therapy is the superior option. For starters, it saves your natural tooth, thus preserving more of your oral health and preventing negative aftereffects. The treatment is also a good investment, costing you less than you’d spend on post-extraction problems.
True enough, extractions have their own benefits and can sometimes be necessary. However, the smile gaps they leave cause many problems when left unaddressed.
In the end, the ‘root canal vs. tooth extraction’ debate ends with root canals as the winner. Therefore, go ahead and book one with your local dental practice!
About the Practice
Rockville Family Dentistry is based in Rockville, MD. As led by Dr. Shahram Modarres, our practice gives each patient top-quality dental care. Therefore, we perform excellent treatments that span preventive, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry, as well as emergency procedures. The team is even a certified provider of Invisalign clear aligners! For more information or to book a visit, you can reach us on our website or by phone at (301)-816-9400.