If you’re torn between the best treatments for your tooth, a recent review of tooth implant and root canal treatment options found that both solutions have virtually equal success and longevity rates. Despite this, the review concluded that a patient’s first priority should be to preserve the natural tooth before extracting and replacing it with an implant. In essence, this is exactly what root canals do. It is estimated that root canals save more than 17 million teeth a year!
The differences between the two procedures are distinctive; Dental implants require extracting the tooth followed by multiple surgeries to insert a metal post in the jaw and affix a porcelain crown to the post. On top of the time-intensive nature of implants, the surgery can take three or more visits to the dentist to complete.
In a root canal treatment, the source of tooth pain is removed and the inside of the tooth is then cleaned, filled and sealed. Most root canals can be completed in one visit and are virtually painless.
According to Dr. Shepard S. Goldstein, AAE president and endodontist, “The recommended treatment must be safe, mindful of the patient’s wishes, and should aim at preserving the natural tooth when possible.” Dr. Goldstein hopes that this can help ensure that each patient receives the best treatment based on his or her individual case.
