Root Canal Therapy vs Dental Extraction

If you have an infected or damaged tooth, there are two main treatment options to consider: root canal therapy (RCT) or a dental extraction. Both procedures aim to remove the affected tissue, prevent further infection, and restore optimal oral health. At Cornerstone Dental, we provide both treatments, and we can help you choose the best one for your oral health

What is Root Canal Therapy?

Root canal therapy is the best endodontic treatment when a tooth shows signs of severe infection, often due to decay reaching the pulp. The treatment involves removing the infected pulp tissue to get rid of decay and bacteria from the tooth. The tooth is cleaned, disinfected, filled, and sealed to prevent further infection.

At Cornerstone Dental, Dr. Wright uses Sirona Orthophos SL 3D-Ai to ensure endodontic treatment is viable for treating the infected tooth. Before undergoing the procedure, you will get a specialized CAT scan to determine the severity of decay and identify fractures. After treatment, we advise patients to get a dental crown. Root canal therapy can weaken a tooth once the pulp is removed, and a dental crown strengthens and protects the tooth from damage.

When to Get a Root Canal

Infected or Decayed Tooth

If an infected tooth is left untreated, the infection and decay spread from the enamel to the inner pulp layer. Bacteria can infect the tooth’s root, causing swelling, severe pain, and potential abscesses. In this case, root canal therapy can help restore the tooth by removing the infected tissue.

Cracked or Fractured Tooth

If a crack or fracture extends to the pulp, it puts the tooth at risk of infection. The fracture allows bacteria to penetrate the inner tooth tissue and infect it. If the tooth isn’t severely fractured, we can remove the infected pulp and restore the tooth. We will also place a crown over the tooth to protect it from further damage.

Dental Trauma Causing Nerve Damage

Severe dental injuries from sports or accidents can damage the tooth’s nerve tissue. Damaged or dying tissue should be removed to prevent the risk of infection. Root canal therapy is the most effective approach to resolving trauma-related infections and restoring the natural tooth.

Benefits of Root Canal Therapy

Preserves Natural Tooth

With root canal therapy, you don’t have to worry about losing your tooth. Treatment preserves the natural tooth and most of its structure and tissue. This allows your teeth to continue functioning as they did before treatment. Once you get a crown, you can even chew hard foods without worrying about the tooth fracturing.

No Risk of Misaligned Teeth

Gaps in the mouth cause surrounding teeth to shift into the spaces, which can cause dental misalignment. Root canal therapy leaves the natural tooth intact, so the adjacent teeth don’t shift out of alignment. This keeps your teeth straight and prevents bite issues associated with gaps and misaligned teeth.

Affordable in the Long Run

Preserving your natural teeth can be cost-saving in the long run. You don’t have to invest in additional treatments like bridges, dentures, or implants to fill the gap left behind after extraction. Since root canal therapy prevents alignment issues, you won’t need to get braces or other orthodontic treatments in the future.

What is a Dental Extraction?

Unlike root canal therapy, dental extraction involves removing the entire tooth above the root and gum line. This procedure varies depending on the type of tooth and positioning. Extraction of non-impacted teeth is fairly quick and straightforward. However, if you are removing an impacted or partially erupted wisdom tooth, you may require a surgical extraction.

After extraction, we will give you instructions on how to care for the extraction site to prevent a dry socket. Recovery is easy for most extractions, and we may recommend medication for pain management. With surgical extraction, it may take a few weeks for the socket to fill in, so proper care is essential.

When to Get an Dental Extraction

Severely Infected Tooth

There are instances when decay compromises the tooth structure, leaving very little healthy tissue. In this case, root canal therapy would further weaken the tooth and increase the risk of fractures. We will use specialized scanners to assess the extent of decay. If we find that endodontic treatment isn’t viable, we will recommend a dental extraction to curb the infection.

Excessive Trauma

Excessive trauma can leave a tooth with severe cracks and fractures. In this case, we can extract the tooth and recommend other restorative treatments. At Cornerstone Dental, we provide treatments like dental implants and bridges after the extraction. If the trauma isn’t too severe and there is no infection, we may recommend dental crowns or bridges to restore the tooth.

Problematic Wisdom Teeth

Impacted wisdom teeth tend to be problematic and prone to infection. If a tooth is partially impacted, it becomes harder to clean, which encourages bacterial action. The best solution for wisdom teeth that have partially erupted is extraction. This prevents recurrent infections in the erupted part of the tooth.

Additional Dental Procedures

After an extraction, we advise patients to get additional restorative work to fill the gap that is left and prevent future problems. If you want to preserve the bone and maintain facial structure, you have to get a dental implant or bridge after the extraction. However, if you are removing a wisdom tooth, there is no need to get another treatment.

Getting an implant or bridge after a Dental Extraction

At Cornerstone Dental, we perform a thorough assessment and recommend the best treatment for your teeth. If extraction isn’t your only option, it’s important to consider its implications before choosing it over endodontic therapy. Here are a few issues that you may encounter if you decide to remove a tooth.

Extraction Leaves an Gap

Unlike root canal therapy, removing the entire tooth inevitably leaves a gap between the teeth. This gap can create issues with smiling, chewing, and speech or even impact self-confidence, especially if it’s visible.

Risk of Alignment Issues

Gaps from extractions allow the remaining teeth to shift and change alignment over time. This can cause bite problems, uneven pressure, and discomfort, which may require orthodontic treatments like braces to correct.

Bone Loss

The roots of natural teeth stimulate the jawbone and help maintain its density. When you extract a tooth, there can be bone loss in the empty socket as there is no stimulation from the roots. This causes bone shrinkage, which can change the facial structure. Severe bone loss can also make the site unsuitable for dental implants in the future.

Ultimately, the right procedure depends on the patient. While we try to restore the natural tooth as often as we can with root canal therapy, sometimes that is not always a viable option. Thanks to our specialized scanning tools and expertise, we can assess the condition of the tooth to determine the best treatment plan moving forward.

Are You Need Of Root Canal Therapy In The Martinsburg Area?

If you are in need of root canal therapy you owe it to yourself to speak with an experienced dentist as soon as possible. Please feel free to contact us online or call our Martinsburg, West Virginia dental office directly at 304.267.6059 to schedule your appointment. We provide a wide range of general dentistry care as well as more involved dentistry services for patients throughout the Martinsburg area and look forward to you joining the Cornerstone Dental family.

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