Re: root canal treatment

This is a tough situation no matter how you look at it; at least 3 different angles to consider: the best health choice; the best cosmetic choice; the best cost choice.

Having the tooth pulled is the best choice in consideration of health, especially your future health, but it does not finish the situation. The decision then is what to do after pulling it - partial, bridge, or implant to fill in the vacant spot. Pulling is not that costly, but putting somethign back in it's place is. Due to cost factor, many people may elect to have it yanked but not replaced, which is understandable. Unfortunately, over time this vacant spot will allow nearby teeth to shift into undesired positions. Bridges, partials and implants are not cheap; implants are probably the least desirable from a health point of view. No matter what type of technology is used, the implant will still be a foreign body embedded into your jaw, which puts you back at risk - similar but different, from the root canal hazard. Bridges/partials, since they do not get embedded into your jaw, would not pose the same health risk as an implant. If you go this route though you'd want to ensure that the false tooth & the platform they are placed on are not made up of metal ingredients (including porcelin), which at least in the past was common.

If the tooth is root-canaled, it essentially then is a dead tooth. Leaving a dead tooth connected to the jaw then sealing it with what ever substance your dentist can come up with will not guarantee that bacteria/infection cannot find a way to become established and then slowly leach into various parts of your body. It only takes a teeny tiny little bit of bacteria to some how find entrance into this moist, dark, sealed off pocket in your mouth to set the stage for this; and of course, when the tooth is sealed and covered up / crowned, it at least visibly appears impossible for bacteria to have a path......... but they have ways.

The decision is not an easy one. Good luck!

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