Which is Better: Root Canals or Tooth Extractions?

When a toothache is causing you really serious pain, it may be due to a severe infection deep inside the tooth. In situations like that, there may be only two options available to you: a root canal, or an extraction.

Both of these procedures will be able to help you with your discomfort, but you might not be too excited about either, which can make choosing between them difficult. If you want to know how to figure out which one is right for you, here’s a guide that may be able to help you.

What are Root Canals?

Root canals tend to be one of the most misunderstood dental procedures. People often associate the treatment with a lot of pain, but thanks to modern anesthetics, root canals are actually completely painless!

Root canals are used to clean the pulp out of an infected tooth. Your dentist will open your tooth and carefully extract the infected matter inside. They’ll then fill your tooth with a natural resin that can offer it some stability. Finally, the dentist will use a dental crown to cover the hole in your tooth.

What are Extractions?

Extractions are arguably the oldest dental procedure that there is—put simply, your dentist just has to remove your tooth. They’ll numb your mouth and use a tool called an “elevator” to pry your tooth out of position, then a pair of forceps to remove it. As with root canals, powerful anesthetics will make this procedure completely painless.

Which Should I Get?

In general, root canals tend to be the better option to deal with a severely infected tooth. One of the biggest factors is aftercare—root-canaled teeth will feel better almost immediately, whereas a wound from an extraction will take at least two weeks to heal.

Moreover, when you lose a tooth, the jawbone that once held it will begin to shrink, and the surrounding teeth will begin to move. Most dentists will have you replace the tooth that was extracted with dentures, bridges, or a dental implant. In the long run, this makes extractions more expensive.

About the Author

Dr. Mark Gaches is a dentist who loves nothing more than being able to help people find the beautiful, healthy smile that they’ve always wanted. He’s deeply proud of the work that he’s done, and the relationships that he’s formed with his patients over the years. Dr. Gaches graduated from the University of Southern California, and since then he has earned the title of fellow from the Academy of General Dentistry, a distinction earned by less than 6% of general dentists in the U.S.

If you have any questions about the benefits of root canals and extractions, he can be reached at his website or by phone at (918) 928-2383.