A tooth infection can put the health and safety of your smile in jeopardy. Root canal therapy can remove the infection, repair the damage, and save the tooth from extraction. But, if the infection is too severe, then other general dentistry treatments may be necessary, like a health-saving tooth extraction.
Thomas F. Brown, D.D.S., and his team of skilled dental professionals are here to help you get the beautiful, functional, and pain-free smile you deserve. If you think that you might have a dental infection, then don’t delay. Call our Naperville, IL, dental clinic immediately at (630) 296-9916, or reach us online here anytime.
In today’s post, our Naperville dentists explore the differences between root canal therapy vs. tooth extraction. Knowing the differences and benefits of each can help you choose the procedure that is right for you.
Root Canal Therapy
Root canal therapy is a restorative procedure that safely and completely removes the infection inside of a tooth. Once our team removes the infected pulp, we then fill the hollow space inside the tooth with a putty-like material. The putty-like material seals the inside of the tooth, which prevents bacteria and food debris from infiltrating the tooth.
Our team completes root canal therapy by placing a lifelike dental crown on top of the compromised tooth. This tooth-shaped, tooth-colored prosthetic protects the outside of the damaged tooth and restores the tooth’s function for at least 15 years.
Tooth Extraction
Our Naperville dentists never recommend tooth extractions unless they believe that it is the only way to restore a patient’s oral health. Nevertheless, tooth extractions may be the only way to prevent a severe root canal infection from spreading to surrounding tissue or the bloodstream.
Tooth extractions with our dentists in Naperville are gentle, safe, and effective. We ensure patients’ comfort by offering soothing and sedative options, like:
- Numbing gels
- Nitrous oxide (laughing gas)
- Intravenous (IV) sedation
Comparing Costs
Tooth extractions, on average, cost roughly $140 per tooth. Root canal therapy, however, averages approximately $1,400 per tooth. Don’t let the price tags fool you, though. Root canal therapy saves your natural teeth, which helps to prevent the costly repairs and prosthetics associated with tooth extractions.
Which procedure is right for me?
Ultimately, a skilled dental professional must examine the mouth to determine the cause and location of the infection. Only after thoroughly examining the mouth can a dentist help you determine which treatment is best for you.
If the infection has not damaged the tooth beyond repair, then our team may recommend root canal therapy.
If the infection has irreparably damaged the tooth, then we may recommend a tooth extraction.
Don’t despair if you need a tooth extraction–we have plenty of options for you to temporarily or permanently replace missing teeth, such as:
Gentle Root Canal Therapy in Naperville, IL
Don’t let dental infections irreparably damage your smile–schedule tooth-saving root canal therapy with our dentists in Naperville, IL. Simply submit an appointment request online here, or call our friendly team at (630) 296-9916 to get scheduled.