Is it Better to Replace a Tooth or Try Saving It?

By Aspen Dental
Is it Better to Replace a Tooth or Try Saving It?

Is it Better to Replace a Tooth or Try Saving It?

If you find yourself with a decayed or diseased tooth, tooth extraction is not always the best option. In fact, dentists believe that most teeth are worth saving by root canal therapy or periodontal surgery.

It’s less painful to try to save a tooth than replace it. Your dentist will give you anesthesia, so you won’t feel a thing during the surgery. And afterwards the pain can be managed with over-the-counter painkillers. A tooth extraction can be much more painful because you are having a tooth completely removed.

Saving a tooth is safer. While your dentist will do everything possible to prevent it, tooth extractions have a higher risk of infections than root canals.

It’s less expensive to save a tooth than to remove and replace it. Tooth extraction alone may be cheaper, but it’s recommended to have the tooth replaced than leave the spot empty because the surrounding teeth can shift and decay. The combined cost of a tooth extraction and recommended implant surgery will cost you more than root canal therapy in the end.

While implants look and feel a lot like real teeth, they still are not the same as your real teeth. Once you remove a tooth, you can’t get it back. Except in cases of extremely decayed or diseased teeth, it’s always better to try saving a tooth than replacing it.

If you need root canal therapy or tooth extraction surgery, visit us at Aspen Dental and we will find the best treatment option for you.