Saving Your Tooth
Modern Endodontics
Patients today have more options than ever before to treat their teeth. Understanding your choices and their impact on your future dental health and lifestyle is important. Saving a natural tooth through endodontic treatment should always be a FIRST choice for the best health and cosmetic results provided the predictability of retaining the tooth is high and with a good prognosis. There are many advantages to saving your natural tooth.
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Efficient Chewing
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Normal Biting Force (so you can continue to eat your favorite foods)
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Maintains A Natural Appearance
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Limits the Need for More Costly, Ongoing Dental Work
Endodontists are dentists who specialize in saving teeth and have at least two years of advanced training in root canal procedures. They are experts at diagnosing and relieving tooth pain and use advanced equipment to treat patients quickly and comfortably. Your dentist probably has partnerships with endodontists in your area already.
Root Canals Actually Cost Less Than Extractions
Avoid choosing extraction because you think it will be cheaper! When a natural tooth is extracted, it must be replaced with an artificial tooth to prevent other teeth from shifting, and to prevent future dental problems. The cost of a denture, bridge or implant, plus the cost of extraction is often higher than the cost of an endodontic procedure that would save the tooth for years to come. Most dental insurance plans cover endodontic treatment.
Root Canals Have Less Pain Than Extractions
Avoid choosing extraction because you think root canal treatment will be painful. Modern knowledge, techniques, and equipment along with effective anesthesia make root canal treatment virtually painless. In fact, discomfort after the procedure is generally greater with a tooth extraction. Patients who have experienced root canal treatment are six times more likely to describe it as "painless" than patients who have not had a root canal.
Root Canals Are Generally Faster Than Extractions
Avoid choosing extraction because you think it will be quicker! Endodontic treatments generally require one to two visits lasting less than an hour each. An extraction requires one visit, but the denture, bridge or implant will require several additional visits with your dentist.
A dental implant has a very high degree of success and has become a great choice for replacing a tooth that cannot predictably be saved through endodontic treatment. Dr. Sullivan will be able to tell you whether your tooth is a candidate to be saved or if an implant would be a more successful treatment option.
