To pull or not to pull?

Health, comfort, and function are a few of the reasons that saving the natural tooth is ideal. While pulling a tooth or getting implants are alternatives, the function of the teeth can be limited. Therefore, endodontists recommend a root canal as the best way to save the natural tooth.

“Nothing is going to do the same job as your natural teeth,” says Les Campbell, an endodontist at the School of Dentistry. “Preserving what you are born with is important for your quality of life. We sometimes have patients that will refuse treatment. But when they get an abscess, they come back.”

Campbell says patients shouldn’t get a tooth pulled because they think it’s easier and more cost-effective. He encourages patients to consider all their options first.

“Missing teeth can affect your ability to chew and it can cause your teeth to shift,” he says. “Again, no denture or implant will feel or function as well as your natural tooth. Our first priority is to always save the tooth. Visiting an endodontist is the highest level of care you can get for root canal therapy. We are specialists in saving teeth; it’s what we do every day.”

“Prosthetics can also affect your smile and confidence,” Campbell adds. “Root canal therapy is virtually painless compared to tooth extraction,” explained Campbell.

“Patients are very motivated to keep their natural teeth. A root canal will treat the infection in the tooth and preserve the rest of it,” he says. “Endodontic treatment has a high success rate and the longer you wait for treatment, the chance of saving your tooth lessens.”