Root canal or extraction?

[saltedcaramelanything]

How do you decide? Any experiences?

To add - I'm also pregnant. So the root canal would need to be by a specialist.

What tooth is it?

I'm due to have root canal treatment. I was told that an extraction is more uncomfortable during the procedure than root canal and can cause issues with biting (as you will have a gap). If you can save the tooth, I would, but also depends on how long you will have to wait for root canal and how much pain you're in. And cost too of course.

Try to save the tooth

Save the tooth, always.

Save the tooth every time. The bone loss from an extraction has led to the adjacent tooth becoming loose for me so I would try everything I could to keep them.

Is there enough tooth for it to be beneficial,as in to use.will losing it mean it makes life harder because u can't chew or can't have your daily foods therefore misery.if there's enough tooth for a filling,crown,bridge?
How often has it been infected?
What s your gut telling you?
Mentally how will you deal with after care of either the wound and healing of extraction.or thrvroor canal healing then a couple of apts to finish the packing and filling of said root once it's settled.
Is it damaged and or infected?how bass the pain.both will settle differently after extraction or rc.
Again really important what does your gut say.
Do u have support do u want it after?
How much other work have u had done?
Sorry it's really tough one and depends on so many things.
Hast your dentist offered or clued you into what they think?

It's a molar - second to back. Due to infection, not any injury. They tried a filling already, but hasn't solved the pain.

My instinct was root canal, but I don't necessarily know why.

Because it would need to be with a specialist, it will be about £800 - vs a free extraction through the nhs (because of my maternity exemption). Which is definitely what's making me question it.

Hey
I work at a dental practice, you shouldn't need to see a specialist just because you're pregnant...the only reason you'd need to see a specialist would be if it's a complex root or if the tooth has already had root canal.
If the tooth does need to be rct'd by a specialist due to these reasons then your dental practice should offer to refer you to an nhs endo specialist, you might have to wait a bit but it would be free.
I'd always say try and save the tooth, go for the root canal

Had both. Root canal every single time would be my vote. They are a breeze compared to extraction.

Why does you being pregnant have anything to do with seeing a specialist? Either the dentist can do it or its outside his/hers scope of practice if its complex.

I'd like to think they weren't saying that because you get free treatment but you never know. I'd have the root canal but I'd be questioning them on their reasons they want you to see a specialist

Root canal. Try to save it. Missing teeth is not a good look, or good for overall tooth health.

You are young! Always attempt to save the tooth first. Being pregnant makes no difference.

I had the same dilemma a few years ago and everything I read said save the tooth if you can as a missing one will mean the rest of your teeth could move around. My dentist offered a payment plan so I paid it off over a year.

I'm going against the grain and saying extraction. I've had root canal twice and was in the chair for over an hour each time. In all fairness apparently I have weird roots but it was traumatic both times so never again for me.

I had the choice once and dentist said always try and save the tooth. I was dreading it but was no worse than an ordinary filling

There was a similar thread recently and everyone was saying extraction, that root canal will inevitably end up as extraction anyway.

You're much younger than me so you might mind more about losing a tooth but...I had a failed root canal last year and half way through it had to be extracted anyway 🤷🏻‍♀️

I've got used to the gap now (same molar as you) but if I had the money I would have an implant.

Take the root canal, followed by a crown.

I had this issue, did the root canal but failed to do the crown promptly. The root canal weakens the tooth, making it vulnerable to split one of the roots off. One day you'll bite on something and it'll just happen. Not especially painful as the tooth is already dead, but the result is that the tooth has to come out.

But then you have the decision - leave a gap or have an implant. Gap - not really these days. Denture - hardly. Implant - much more expensive than the root canal and crown, and it lasts forever as it is an artificial tooth. But there is always a small gap between the implant and the gum underneath. Food just always gets stuck there. Fine if you like flossing (I don't) but this is an everyday issue.

I had the same choice and went for extraction. It was a back tooth so doesn’t show.

tbh I have crap teeth anyway - I don’t have a full set of adult teeth because they just weren’t there and I’ve had to have baby teeth extracted so I’ve got lots of gaps at the back of my mouth anyway one more didn’t make much difference 🤷‍♀️

@nellie @sageandbasil To be fair, he didn't just say it's because I'm pregnant. But said because it's a complex root, far in the back, and I'm pregnant. So he wasn't comfortable doing the root canal.

But he did say that it therefore wasn't an nhs treatment and he'd have to refer me to the specialist. He definitely didn't suggest there was an nhs option.

I went for extraction. It was really borderline as to whether root canal would work. I am terrified of dentists so really didn't want 2 procedures when I could have one. It's second from back lower molar so really not visible.

Hi there, I’m guessing your dentist has already gone through risks and benefits of both treatments but I’ll run through it for you.
Root canal treatment- best results with a specialist, being pregnant won’t make any difference however specialists have more time, more experience and often use microscopes and latest equipment to get you the best results. However even then you can’t guarantee success and the tooth may not last forever, but it will hopefully last a decent amount of time. The tooth will then likely to need a crown afterwards as root treated teeth are more brittle and prone to fracture. Have a look at yourself smiling and see whether having that missing tooth would bother you or not, you might not even notice it. With just one missing back tooth there isn’t much that will be effected detrimentally, if it’s not replaced by an implant then you will get some bone loss which may effect your ability to get an implant In future. Otherwise you might just get some tilting or slight drifting of teeth in that area.
You will be numb for both procedures, the root canal will take longer of course but will be very easy for you once you’re numb, you’ll just lie back with you mouth open.

Hopefully that was helpful!

I'm going against the grain and saying extraction. I've had root canal twice and was in the chair for over an hour each time. In all fairness apparently I have weird roots but it was traumatic both times so never again for me.
But an hour in the chair (with good pain relief presumably) is nothing compared to the loss of a tooth. I'm nearly 70 and am getting to the stage where the gaps at the back outnumber the teeth and I wish I'd fought to keep more of them when I was younger. Always eating on one side is no fun.

My teeth are very susceptible to decay (bad genes, my DM is exactly the same) - so the idea that I might go through a root canal and still it doesn't even last is a terrible thought.

It's far enough back that you can't see it when I smile, etc. But still not sure I fancy the risks there of having a gap. And to pay for an implant is also very expensive

I'd go for extraction. I had root canal years ago and still have problems with the tooth now as the stupid dentist cocked it up. Ideally the root canal should be done again but it would need to be done by a specialist which I can't afford so I'm stuck with it. I asked for it to be taken out at the time but the dentist refused.