Do you ever hesitate to make an appointment with your dentist because you know—or even think—there’s a chance you could need root canal treatment? If you do, you aren’t alone.
But did you know that if a root canal, which is the soft layer in the center of your tooth, is infected or damaged, the afflicted tooth could die? And if the tooth dies, the only thing your dentist will be able to do is remove it?
And yet, some people seem to think having their tooth extracted is the better option. Usually this is because root canal therapy has a bad reputation for being extremely painful. However, most patients who have gone through the treatment say it is mostly painless.
One of the other major benefits of root canal therapy is function. After the treatment, your teeth will look the same, but should also function in the same way. On the other hand, if you remove your tooth you’ll need a restoration to keep enjoy full function. Sadly, compared to root canal therapy, these restorations are quite expensive. To make matters worse, these restorations are rarely permanent, meaning you may need to have these restorations eventually replaced.
Alternatively, you could simply choose to have the tooth removed and not replaced. But this is not the best approach. Aside from leaving a cosmetically unappealing gap in your smile, having a missing tooth can make your teeth shift. Having gaps in your smile will also make your smile more difficult to clean and leave you more susceptible to gum disease.
Overall, root canal therapy is a better option for your oral health. If you are interested in learning more about root canal therapy or a tooth extraction, please feel free to contact us today. We are eager to hear from you.