It is okay to get a little bit confused about what kind of dental treatment you need, especially when you have a lot of options. However, you might need to know that some options might not be the best for you and so it is better to do for the type of treatment that suits your better. If you have to choose between root canal therapy or tooth extraction, you need to know why you need root canals or tooth extraction.
Root canal procedure involves filling of tooth’s root that has been affected by tooth decay and infections. This is done to prevent teeth loss and maintain a person’s dental structure. During root canal procedures, the tooth’ root underneath the gum, which isn’t visible, is cleaned and filled so that the tooth can be saved from decay that has eaten deep into the tooth. In some cases, the patient might have infections in multiple teeth and is also scared of losing nearly all the teeth.
On the other hand, tooth extraction is very different from root canals. This is the total removal of a person’s tooth. This occurs when a person’s tooth is affected by infections and decay, thereby causing extreme pain. The pain stops when the infected tooth is extracted or removed. However, unlike root canals, extraction of the teeth doesn’t maintain the teeth or preserve the teeth. Once a tooth is removed, it doesn’t grow back unless the person undergoes a fake tooth implant to replace the extracted tooth. An adult’s permanent tooth is different from a baby’s milk tooth, which grows back after it falls out. As long as you already have permanent teeth, once you extract it, it doesn’t grow back. Some people undergo tooth extraction for wisdom teeth removal. Wisdom teeth (the eruption of teeth at the back of the mouth close to the molar) can be painful and cause so much discomfort because they erupt when there is not enough space to accommodate them.
What root canals and extractions have in common is that they are both dental surgeries, and they require the use of anesthesia to numb the pain. However, not all root canal procedures require the use of anesthesia because the tooth root might be dead and unable to feel pain. But most patients prefer to numb the area regardless. You can see a dentist in Bradford, Ontario, who would examine your teeth and help you decide on what dental procedure is best for you. However, you are also part of the decision making, and so it includes your preference as well.
The Procedure For Root Canal Therapy And Tooth Extraction
Before root canal therapy is carried, you need to see the dentist. The dentist will examine your teeth before the procedure begins. Anesthesia will be administered on the affected area that is about to be operated on so that the patient doesn’t feel pains during the operation. The dentist will then disinfect the tooth’ root. The tooth’ root will be thoroughly cleaned and washed with a fluoride solution to disinfect the root of the tooth and take out infections and decays. After the tooth’ root has been cleaned, it will be filled and sealed to prevent further infections from getting inside the tooth’ root. After the operation, the dentist might encourage the use of dental caps or sealants to support the tooth and keep it safe from decay.
During a tooth extraction, a local anesthetic is administered to the patient. Sometimes the dentist might make use of a general anesthetic if it is more than one tooth removal. Then the dentist cuts into the gum a bit to gain easy access to the tooth’ root, and then the tooth is carefully extracted from the gum. Tooth extractions don’t take too much time compared to root canal procedures. Time is very important when it comes to root canals because the success of the surgery depends on the careful steps that are taken during the surgery.
What Are The Possible Setbacks For Root Canal Treatment And Tooth Extraction?
Both root canal procedures and extractions have different setbacks. It is important to also weigh your decisions based on these setbacks.
For a root canal, the procedure might be a failure if the infection is not completely removed. After sealing the tooth, the patient might come back with a severe toothache and swelling, which will require an emergency root canal treatment to take out the remaining infection or decay. Note that the second procedure is not as easy as the first one. Some people don’t bother going for another root canal therapy. They prefer to just remove the tooth entirely. However, you won’t be able to preserve your tooth. You can see a dentist for a tooth extraction near you.
Meanwhile, extractions also have their drawbacks. During a tooth extraction, the tooth can get broken inside the gum and tooth’ root. This makes the procedure difficult. If the dentist wants to remove the broken tooth successfully, he or she might have to drill into your tooth’ root to take the broken pieces all out. Also, after the procedure, the patient might suffer from a dry socket because of the unfilled space. To prevent this, the patient must take care of the teeth after the extraction.