Root canal or extraction?

Root filled not foot filled

As a dentist, I can say it is always best to save teeth wherever possible. Posterior foot-filled teeth must have cuspal coverage placed (a crown for example) to maximise lifespan. With cc a root-filled molar has 85% of lasting 10 years, without cc the same tooth only has 33% of lasting 5 years. There are many factors to take into account before reaching a decision. Ask the dentist what he/she would do if it were their tooth.

My DP has a root canal on the same tooth and it failed after 2 months, a lot of pain and a LOT of money. It got extracted after that. I would go for extraction every time.

I had a lot of problems with my teeth as a child and didn’t have a full second set to come through ether. I now have a total of ten missing teeth all bar one are from the back. It doesn’t cause me a problem and no one can see them.

I had this problem, went straight for the extraction.

If it’s had infection after infection .... that said I too hastily extracted in lockdown and I regret it a bit
But if the tooth has caused that many problems for so long ....

Wow I am in exactly the same situation! The deep filling I had on my wisdom tooth was a year ago but now the tooth is dying. I have gone for extraction which I am having done next Monday. I don't want to go through more money and discomfort if the root canal is fairly likely to fail anyway so thought sod it. I'm hoping the recovery from the extraction is not too bad - hate dental pain.

I have opted to save the tooth and go RC. I paid for one of the most recommended dentists in my city, because the NHS dentist I was with said she had a 50:50 chance of success and recommended him. I'm bloody glad for her honesty, I had it about 9 years ago and it has been stable since. I got a crown put on it by a rubbish dentist that year, which I regret and wish I'd gone to a better place for it. But hopefully a crown replacement will be something I can get done in future.

I wanted to save the (dead) tooth as I thought it was better to have my own equipment as long as possible, and didn't want any big gaps left at a relatively young age.

I had root canal on the very same tooth, after years of abscesses and infections. My dentist told me that if I had any further problems with it, it would have to come out. Anyway a couple of years later and more pain, I had it taken out. Having the RCT was just putting off the inevitable really. The extraction didn’t hurt a bit and did not even bleed. I just have to eat on the other side now, but is worth not being in pain.

My root canal failed after about 8 years and I had it pulled in July!

I’ve had two RCTs. One was extracted six months later due to pain like I’ve never felt before.

The other four years in gives me a gentle reminder every six months or so that it doesn’t want to be there.

If i could go back in time I’d just go straight to extraction.

Ohgod, just whip it out. Not worth the hassle and pain of a root canal.

I'm torn over this too. I clench my jaw badly as it turns out and have had two root canals done on two matching teeth, similar location to yours but one on top and one on bottom rows.

I had one modern root canal done about 8 years ago, which was a last from memory, and a more traditional one done about 4 years ago. Both of those teeth have since broken, with half of one of them falling off and about a quarter of the other. Dentist wants to post and crown one, and massive filling on the other. But tbh, I don't overly trust her, she is very impatient and barely explains anything. She did some work on another tooth a couple of months ago and I can still feel it now.

I'm tempted just to get them removed tbh, I have some mild overcrowding so space is at a premium anyway.

Had exactly the same issue earlier this year. Opted for the extraction. It was fine, not traumatic at all. Glad to be rid of it. Can't see any gap whatsoever. Out with it, I say

I had a RCT on the same tooth bottom jaw. I had to go for a couple of sittings with a temporary filling covering in between. Having it done wasn’t bad at all. Just like having a filling but took longer. My jaw ached holding my mouth open but that’s about it.

Mines coming up for 11 years old now and it’s perfectly fine. I’m surprised because usually if something can go wrong with teeth it’ll happen to me.

I had rc on a tooth right at the back - 4 hours and expensive as paid private. Was golf by drntist it could last up to ten years. Lasted 2, the pain when it came back was unbearable, worse than before and I ended up with an extraction anyway.

I was in exactly the same position and had it out - however my decision was swayed by the fact I pay privately and the cost for root canal they quoted was astronomical whereas extraction was in line with NHS. Since tooth pain is the WORST BAR NONE (I include my natural drug free childbirth in this) I would also go with extraction as it’s more of a guaranteed success and I wouldn’t want to live with tooth pain for a second longer than necessary.

I have to make the same decision by Wednesday. Only it's the next tooth to yours.

Had a cracked filling replaced in January, dentist removed any infection, and it seemed fine, until Friday, and now my jaw is swollen and that tooth is hurting so much. The filling is quite deep as it is, so guessing root canal will be worse? Never had it before.

I might go for antibiotics first if it's just an abscess and see how I get in before making the final decision.

Definitely worth trying an RC. I was dreading mine but it was honestly like a filling. It was clearly a bit more fiddly than a regular filling, but I was fully anaesthetised and the chair was comfy so all good.

Extraction runs the risk of dry socket, so I'd always try and keep the tooth if I can.

I'm getting the same tooth extracted next week, I'm counting the days to be honest. I'm going straight for extraction. I've had a successful root canal before on a different tooth but I don't think I'd do it again. I hope you can get some relief either way soon. There have been times recently where I'd cheerfully have pulled the tooth out myself.

I paid a fortune for a private microscopic root canal treatment which took about 4 hours.

It’s lasted 3 years but the tooth had been nagging me for the past few months. I couldn’t put myself through that length of treatment again and if it has failed I’ll be going for extraction.

I chose a root canal over extraction and it ended up really complicated with two months of pain, abscesses, antibiotics and generally feeling like shit. The root canal worked and it is fine now, but tbh, if I had known how painful the process was going to be, I would have had it taken out at the start.

same tooth for me, i had an extraction.

It will leave a big gap, which the soft tissue of your cheek will spill into, with possible chaffing against the corners of the teeth which are left, and mouth ulcers every time you bite on the bulging cheek tissue.

If you lose another tooth the same side you’re getting towards the territory of sunken cheeks. How many more years do you need your teeth to last?

You could have a bridge to close the gap, but that means reducing to a stub the currently good teeth on each side and putting crowns on them. Or you could have an implant which will cost a good deal more than a RCT

I have had an RCT failure. It was a gradual build up of discomfort, rather like getting a large pimple. The RCT process destroys the nerve in the tooth.