Is it better to pull a tooth or root canal?

What is your pain level? Have you had x-rays of the affected tooth and gum area? Has the tooth been damaged, broken or dislodged? That would give us some clues as to the current state of your tooth and if you need a root canal or dental extraction.  

Your first step to answering the question of “Is it better to pull a tooth than a root canal” is to book an appointment with a dental professional. Your root canal Burlington dentist will carefully analyze your oral health before making a treatment recommendation.

In most cases, root canal therapy is a better way to treat an infected tooth than an extraction. We want to save the teeth as much as possible!

Here are some factors you can consider if it’s determined you need a root canal:

Cost of root canal vs. hidden cost of extraction?

In most cases, a simple extraction is cheaper than a root canal. A root canal is covered by insurance as well. You can always opt for an extraction if the dentist determines that a root canal is acceptable to save the tooth. But what are the extra hidden costs of an extraction? Extracting a tooth creates a gap. Immediately afterwards, in that gap you can get a “dry socket”. If you don’t get dry socket, then down the line, that gap exposes areas of the surrounding teeth to bacteria and gum disease. It also causes shifting in your teeth’s position and changes your bite. Overtime that may result in more cavities, gum disease and the loss of another tooth. You can get an implant to prevent all that but that’s again more costly than the root canal.

How damaged is the tooth?

If there is too much damage from trauma to the face or from chewing something and broke the tooth, it might need to be extracted as a root canal wouldn’t fix it properly. Or if the pulp is far too infected to allow a root canal to be successful, then it might need to be extracted.

These questions are asked at your dental exam and you should be educated on what’s going on in your mouth and participate in the decision making. Having knowledge of your treatment options such as consequences, costs and after care allow you to make informed decisions about your oral health.

Pain from a Root Canal or From a Tooth Extraction

Most people that come in for a root canal don’t usually ask if a root canal is painful. The reason is that they are under such severe pain from the tooth infection that a root canal is sweet immediate relief from pain. The good news is that since there is no pain from root canal therapy, that’s another way it wins vs. a tooth extraction. You see, while a tooth extraction procedure also isn’t painful, there may be some pain after the surgery due to the fact that it was a surgical operation. Root canal treatment uses the latest in tiny dental medical devices that allow precise operation to prevent pain.

Burlington Family Dental Centre

2025 William O’Connell Blvd

Burlington, ON L7M 4E4

(289) 797-2930