You’re suffering from a toothache. Your dentist tells you that you have an infection and will need a root canal. You get a referral to NYC Endo. Now you are faced with a choice: do you make the appointment or should you just have the tooth removed?
Extracting a tooth should always be the very last ditch attempt at resolving tooth pain, not a first line of defense. Despite advances in dental technology, there is no replacement for a lost tooth that offers the same functionality, feel, and appearance as the real thing. If endodontic treatment is available, this should be your first choice in treating damaged and infected teeth.
If you fear that the cost of endodontic treatment will be too high, take a look at the bigger picture. Extracting a tooth will lead to other complications later on. It is likely you will need to replace it. Whether that is with a partial denture or a bridge, which can cause damage to your teeth and mouth and allows the body to absorb the jawbone, or with a dental implant, which can be extremely costly and involves a painful surgical procedure, there will be a price to pay. Not only is the cost of endodontic treatment much lower in terms of both your health and your pocketbook, but most insurance plans have coverage for endodontic treatment. This will allow you to get treatment at a reasonable rate and avoid future procedures caused by the same root problem.
Everyone has heard horror stories about the pain that root canal treatment can cause, but these are simply not true. With improvements in our understanding of anesthetics, new dental technology, and better treatment techniques, root canal therapy should be relatively painless. While it is true that you may feel some sensitivity in the region, this is a temporary condition and will fade as the inflamed nerves of your gum and any temporary pulpitis of the surrounding teeth subsides. For most patients, the process is entirely painless!
Please do not choose a tooth extraction because you believe the pain or the recovery period will be faster. A tooth extraction will have a lasting impact on your health, even though the procedure itself will only take a few minutes. Endodontic treatment should only take two or three hours at most, followed by the delivery and placement of a permanent crown. In the long run, saving the tooth with endodontic care far outweighs the amount of time you will spend fixing the damages of a tooth extraction, especially when you decide to have the tooth replaced.
For some reason, many people opt for an extraction over endodontic treatment because they believe that they tooth will eventually need to come out anyway. This is untrue. Endodontic treatment is designed to save your tooth and keep it in its proper place for the rest of your life. With proper care, a tooth that has undergone root canal therapy or other treatment in our office should be fine for the rest of your life.
NYC Dental wants to make sure every patient has the opportunity to live out their lives with all of their teeth. If you are suffering from a toothache, or if your dentist has suggested endodontic care to take care of your teeth, contact our office today to make an appointment.