You’re sitting in front of a dentist expecting a normal check-up but it ends up with your doctor telling you that one of your teeth is in bad condition. Then he utters those dreaded words, “root canal” but it’s not the worse. He concludes that it may need to be extracted which makes you even more frightened.
Root canal vs. Extraction: which one will be better in this case? You can’t avoid the process but what’s the difference between these two?
Both of them are related to teeth but are two totally different surgeries. Interested to know about them? Here’s a short guide to help you in working with your dentist to choose the greatest one.
Root Canal
If your dentist realizes that your tooth can be given a chance then a root canal is the one he/she will choose. What’s the line between a dead and live tooth?
When your tooth develops a deep cavity or gets cracked, bacteria begin to soak in the pulp inside your tooth. Bacteria can cause an aching infection but if caught prior to getting into worse condition; the tooth can be saved by applying root canal treatment.
Procedure and Aftercare
Movies make root canals appear way worse than they are. The area is anesthetized so you hardly feel a thing during the process. Dentists make small incisions so that they can open up the tooth to get access to the pulp.
The pulp is taken out and the chambers are totally cleaned to ensure there’s no sign of bacteria that was the cause of the problem. He/she then fills up the chambers with substitute liquid that works as pulp. This may take several sessions to complete depending on your situation.
After the whole thing is done you’ll feel a little pain but not like they show in the movies. You'll be capable of dealing with it or may need low-power painkillers.
Extraction
If the problem can’t be handled or discovered on time, your tooth may not be saved. This means, while the pulp can be removed, the bacteria have already worn on the structure to the extent where it won't be able to survive the root canal process. If this is your case, then from both the options of root canal and extraction, your medical professional will recommend extraction.
Procedure and Aftercare
Out of the two processes, tooth extraction is the more painful one. Your dentist will first anesthetize the area and then use an elevator to cautiously loosen the tooth and then use forceps to completing the process. You'll possibly feel a bit of pain all through the procedure, even after the area has been anesthetized.
After the process is completed, the surgeon may ask you to bite a cotton ball for around 40 minutes that the blood in the site clots. The process may cause light bleeding for approx 24 hours and your face may swell. The swelling is nothing serious and can be handled by an icepack.
When you ultimately feel that you can eat again ensure to stick to soft food that is easy to chew. you can start migrating back to your favorite foods slowly As you heal.
Implants
Some problems may occur after a while when you go through an extraction. For instance, teeth around the area can start shifting, or chewing and talking can become quite a struggle. If these happen, consider consulting your dentist.
Benefits of a Root Canal vs. Extraction
If you ask the advantages of root canal vs extraction, in the long run, the root canal has some benefits over-extraction. One of the major ones is, it will keep your smile you were born with intact. Root canals are also an easy process that hardly results in failure and is less painful than extraction.
While most people prefer root canal, there’re some benefits of extractions. They aren't that bad. It entirely gets rid of the bacteria and infection as the problem is gone from its root.
The final words
The information mentioned in this blog will help you in deciding which process will be more advantageous for you and which option you are comfortable in. Though you should not disobey your doctor’s suggestions, who probably have offered numerous dental services by now, still, you can talk to them about your concerns.