Re: root canal same as extraction?

Hi, I think you need clarity on the terms. An extraction is an extraction--a pulling of the tooth. A root canal takes place on the inside of a tooth. You get one or the other, they're mutually exclusive. (on the same day at least.) The "tooth structure" left after a root canal is dead, there is no nerve/blood flow.

When a root canal is completed, it will either be topped off by a filling in the center of your tooth, or a crown. These often lose their structural integrity, allowing bacteria in, but you're right--there's no root/nerve in there to get infected. Ah, but that's half the problem--no "alert system" in there to tell you the bacteria population is getting large.

When the dentist finishes scraping out the root, he sterilizes the area, then he fills it in, usually w/ gutta percha. But that sterilization process is never 100%. There are lots of little tiny tubules in there, so some bacteria always survive (anaerobic). And bacteria multiply. Now they are in an area that has just been disconnected from the body's immune system/blood supply. Your tooth is connected to your jawbone. Bone has both blood and lymph vessels inside it. So junk--live bacteria, dead bacteria, waste products--can seep into your system, and yet the immune system can't really "get at" the source of the problem.

That's my understanding, anyway.