When it comes to decisions in life, especially about our health, most people want options. So when it comes to tooth pain and dental work, you may be wondering what options you have for treatment. If you’ve been experiencing tooth pain, swelling in your gums and jaw, or visible tooth decay, it’s time to find a nearby dentist and get checked out.
If you have a damaged or decayed tooth, you have two main options: root canal vs extraction. But what’s the difference?
When your tooth has become damaged or decayed, bacteria can seep into the pulp inside your tooth. This can cause a painful infection. You may notice increased pain when chewing, or experience swelling or even a fever. While this may all seem quite serious, the tooth can typically be saved with a root canal.
During the root canal, the dentist will remove the pulp completely clean out the tooth chamber to make sure there is no trace of the problem-causing bacteria. Then the dentist refills the tooth chamber with a replacement liquid that acts as pulp and seals the tooth.
An alternative option to treating a decayed or diseased tooth and the pain associated with it is to completely extract the tooth. The benefit of the root canal vs extraction is the ability to eliminate the disease while preserving the natural tooth.
If the overall structure of your tooth is still strong, a root canal is a great choice. Our Phoenix area dentists are experienced with root canals and can provide affordable root canal treatment.
However, if the tooth is damaged beyond repair, you’ll need to have a tooth extraction. These are two very different procedures with their own sets of advantages and disadvantages.
A dental extraction will involve getting a replacement tooth installed. Artificial tooth replacements can be costly, involve additional dental procedures, and may include long-term maintenance.
Most dentists will recommend their patients try to keep as many natural teeth as possible. If you’ve already experienced tooth extraction, you may be interested in saving as many additional teeth as possible with root canal treatment. Luckily, root canals are not like what you see on television – they are fairly routine and relatively painless.
A root canal has a better success rate than a tooth extraction because there are little to no future complications associated with the procedure. Root canals are performed by dentists to clean and restore an infected tooth when there is no need to extract or remove the tooth.
Whether you need a root canal doctor or are looking for a tooth extraction nearby, our convenient Phoenix location can help. Our experienced dental team will help you understand your options based on your pain, dental health and history, and the costs associated with root canal vs extraction.
Understanding your options when it comes to root canal vs extraction can feel complicated. But the easiest and most important choice of all is to contact a high-quality, affordable dentist in Phoenix right away when you experience tooth pain. Contact us today!