Why A Root Canal Is Better Than Extracting A Problem Tooth
Posted on: 11 December 2015
When you have a tooth that has infected pulp, a root canal will be necessary to repair the tooth. Some people believe that having the tooth extracted is a viable alternative to having a root canal, and that it will be an easy process that fixes all of the problems for good. This could not be farther from the truth. Here are 3 reasons why root canals are a better option than tooth extractions.
Root Canals Will Cost Less Overall
Dental procedures can be expensive, so it's understandable to look at the initial costs of the procedures and make a decision based on that. You must remember that an extracted tooth will need to be replaced. When the tooth is gone, your jawbone will not receive the stimulation it needs from activities like eating. It can cause that part of your jawbone to deteriorate, and start affecting the surrounding teeth.
The root canal procedure will cost around $500 - $1,000 per tooth. Meanwhile. a tooth extraction procedure will cost anywhere from $130 - $400 per tooth. You can replace the tooth with a implant, which will cost $4,250 on average, or a dental bridge for anywhere between $1,100-$2,300. All three procedures require a crown, so the additional cost will be similar between them. No matter which direction you go with, the cost for replacing a tooth will cause an extraction to be much more expensive in the end.
Root Canals Will Be Fast
If time is a concern when dealing with your infected tooth, a root canal will be the fastest procedure to have done when compared to an extraction. This is because you will not be going through the steps of replacing the tooth once a root canal is complete.
Expect to visit your dentist twice for a root canal for the procedure and follow-up visit, while an extraction should require three. One visit for the tooth extraction, a second for the tooth replacement, and a third to follow-up on how everything is doing. For those that have busy schedules, a root canal should cause you to spend less time at your dentist.
Root Canals Are Less Painful
A misconception about root canals is that they are a painful procedure, but the reality is that they are more uncomfortable than painful due to keeping your mouth open for the length of your procedure. Thanks to sedation dentistry, chances are that you will not feel a thing during your root canal, with you experiencing some soreness during your recovery
An extraction should go much faster on the day the procedure is performed, but it causes significant trauma to your gums. You will feel more pain after the extraction is performed, which may be worse than the discomfort that you feel during your root canal procedure.
Still have questions about the advantages of root canals? Schedule a consultation with a dentist like Mill Creek Family Dental.
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