Endodontic Treatments vs. Dental Implants

When you have tooth damage from decay, injuries, or other causes, your treatment options might include a root canal or dental implant. Dental implants can replace teeth that have been extracted, while root canals can prevent you from having damaged teeth removed. Find out more about these different types of treatment.

Root Canals

Root canals involve eliminating decayed or damaged parts of the interior of your tooth to prevent infections from occurring. This type of treatment is also done to stop decay or damage from getting worse. When you have a root canal done, your endodontist clears decayed or infected material from the inner part of your tooth called the pulp. This space is then sealed up, and you’ll have a crown placed on the tooth. This crown helps protect the tooth from becoming decayed or infected again while also fully restoring its function. Before treatment, you might have trouble biting down without experiencing pain or other symptoms.

Root canals have a lower cost compared to other types of treatment for damaged teeth, such as dental implants. Having a root canal done also requires a lower number of visits overall, making this treatment more convenient. With fewer visits needed, you won’t have to take time off from work or pay for multiple visits. Root canals also allow you to keep your natural tooth and jaw structure rather than having the affected tooth extracted.

Dental Implants

Dental implants are used for replacing missing teeth. When you have a tooth extraction done for damage or decay, a dental implant can help restore function if you’re having trouble chewing or speaking clearly. Dental implants can also help restore your smile, although keep in mind that you won’t have your natural tooth. Instead, you’ll have an artificial tooth attached to the implant.

Dental implants require more visits as multiple dental specialists are needed for this type of treatment. These implants are also more expensive than root canals. In fact, the cost of just one dental implant can range from $3,000 to $4,500. This cost can be even higher if you need multiple implants or if you need other work done beforehand, such as bone grafting to ensure that you have enough jawbone to hold an implant.

When you get dental implants, you can also expect the healing process to take much longer. The dental implant process starts with having an implant placed in your jaw and imprints taken of your natural teeth in order to have your artificial one match them as closely as possible. Your jaw then needs to fully heal before you can go back to have an abutment and artificial tooth attached to the implant. This can take several weeks or even months, depending on how long the healing process takes.

Which Treatment Should You Get?

When you visit a dentist for tooth decay or a tooth infection, you’ll need to decide which kind of treatment to get. While this depends on different factors, such as how much decay or damage your tooth has, keep in mind that it’s better to try and save your natural tooth if possible. You might be leaning toward a dental implant due to concerns about experiencing discomfort during a root canal. However, you should be aware that this type of endodontic treatment is not as uncomfortable as it might seem. Endodontists use local anesthesia, so you won’t feel anything during your root canal. You might be a bit sore when it wears off, but this is temporary.

When you have a dental implant, you’ll need to spend more time at the dentist’s office. You might also experience discomfort for a longer period of time overall due to the extended healing process. Root canals provide you with a way to save your natural tooth while paying a lower cost and spending less time at the endodontist’s office. You’ll have restored tooth function sooner rather than later with a root canal as well.

If you need to schedule a dental visit or if you’re looking for more information on endodontic treatments, please contact Largo Endodontics today. We can evaluate your damaged tooth and help you determine the most suitable type of treatment for it.