When a tooth's nerve is infected there are two real options: treat it and keep the tooth, or remove it. Cost usually drives the question, but it is rarely the deciding factor once the whole picture is laid out.
The general preference is to keep the tooth
Nothing replaces a natural tooth as well as the tooth itself. It is already the right shape, already anchored, and already keeping its neighbours in position. Removing it starts a second problem — the gap — which then needs its own answer.
What makes a tooth savable
Enough sound structure above the gum to rebuild and crown, a root that is not fractured lengthways, and bone support that is still adequate. Where those hold, root canal treatment plus a crown is usually the recommendation.
What argues for removal
A vertical root fracture cannot be repaired. Decay that runs far below the gum line may leave nothing to hold a crown. Severe bone loss around the tooth changes the arithmetic, and so does a tooth that has already had root canal treatment which has failed more than once.
The cost comparison people get wrong
An extraction is cheaper than a root canal and a crown. But an extraction on its own leaves a gap, and the options for filling it — an implant, a bridge, or a partial denture — all cost more than the extraction did.
Leaving the gap is also a choice, and it has consequences of its own: neighbouring teeth drift, the opposing tooth over-erupts, and the bone where the root used to be begins to resorb. The comparison is not root canal versus extraction. It is root canal versus extraction plus whatever comes next.
Where a wisdom tooth is concerned
The calculation changes. A wisdom tooth that is not doing useful chewing work and has no opposing partner is often better removed than treated — there is no gap to fill afterwards, because nothing depended on it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to pull the tooth?+
The extraction itself is cheaper than root canal treatment and a crown. Replacing the missing tooth afterwards is not — an implant, bridge or partial denture all cost more than the extraction. The fair comparison includes what happens after.
Can any infected tooth be saved?+
No. A root fractured lengthways, decay extending well below the gum line, or severe loss of the surrounding bone can all mean the tooth cannot be restored predictably. An examination and x-ray are what settle it.
What if I just leave the gap?+
Neighbouring teeth tend to drift into the space and the opposing tooth can over-erupt, which changes your bite. The bone where the root sat also begins to shrink, which matters if you later want an implant there.
Cavities develop gradually, not overnight. Bacteria in your mouth feed on sugars and starches, producing acids that pull minerals from your enamel. Saliva repairs some damage, but frequent acid attacks overwhelm it, and plaque lets bacteria attack the tooth directly. Left unchecked, decay progresses from the enamel into the dentin, pulp, and eventually an abscess. Good hygiene, diet, and regular dental visits keep cavities preventable.