SAME DAY APPOINTMENTS NOW AVAILABLE - Contact Us Today!

Saving the Tooth and Removing the Tooth Solve Different Problems

When a tooth has irreversible pulp damage or infection, root canal treatment and extraction are two possible approaches. Root canal treatment removes disease from inside the tooth while preserving the root and crown structure. Extraction removes the tooth completely. Neither option is automatically correct for every patient.

​

Potential Advantages of Saving the Natural Tooth

• Maintains natural biting sensation and function

• Avoids an empty space and the possibility of tooth movement

• Often requires fewer treatment stages than extraction followed by replacement

• Avoids surgery to place an implant when the tooth is predictably restorable

• Preserves natural bone and periodontal attachment around the tooth

​

When Extraction May Be the Better Choice

Extraction may be recommended when a tooth has a nonrestorable fracture, severe decay extending too far below the gumline, inadequate remaining tooth structure, poor periodontal support, or another condition that makes retention unpredictable. The decision should account for the tooth’s prognosis, the patient’s health and goals, and the feasibility of replacement.

​

What Happens After Extraction?

Depending on the location and your dental needs, the missing tooth may be replaced with an implant, bridge, or removable prosthesis. Replacement can require additional procedures, healing time, treatment by multiple providers, and maintenance over time. Some spaces do not require replacement, but that decision should be made with your restorative dentist.

​

What About a Dental Implant?

Dental implants are valuable replacements for teeth that cannot be saved or are already missing. They are not identical to natural teeth and are not immune to complications. When a natural tooth has a favorable restorative and endodontic prognosis, saving it is be the more conservative approach. When prognosis is poor, extraction and implant treatment may provide a better long-term plan.

​

Questions to Ask Before Deciding

• Is the tooth structurally restorable?

• Is there evidence of a crack or fracture?

• What is the endodontic and periodontal prognosis?

• Would retreatment or apicoectomy be reasonable?

• What restoration will the tooth need afterward?

• If the tooth is removed, does it need replacement and what would that involve?

• What are the expected costs, stages, risks, and maintenance for each option?

​

The Goal Is an Informed Recommendation

Our goal is not to save every tooth at any cost. It is to determine whether endodontic treatment offers a reasonable chance of comfortable, useful function. If the tooth cannot be predictably retained, we explain why and coordinate with your general dentist regarding alternatives.

​

Schedule an Evaluation

If you have tooth pain, swelling, a cracked tooth, dental trauma, or questions about a previous root canal, our endodontists can evaluate the problem and explain your treatment options. Same-day emergency appointments are often available.

​

South County: (314) 894-5600   |   Festus: (636) 931-4020

​

Clinically reviewed by the endodontists of Advanced Endodontics. This information is educational and does not replace an individual examination or diagnosis.