When you have a severely infected or damaged tooth, you typically face a difficult choice: save the tooth with a root canal, or pull it out with an extraction?
While an extraction may seem cheaper or simpler in the moment, it's crucial to look at the long-term cost and health implications. At Crown Dental Group in National City, we always prioritize saving your natural tooth.
Option 1: Saving the Tooth (Root Canal Therapy)
A root canal removes the infected nerve and pulp, seals the inside of the tooth, and eliminates the pain. The procedure is typically followed by placing a protective crown.
Procedure | Long-Term Cost/Value |
Root Canal | Saves your natural tooth structure. The entire cost is the root canal plus the protective crown. |
Long-Term Value | Highest. You keep your natural tooth, which maintains the integrity of your bite and jawbone. |
Option 2: Pulling the Tooth (Extraction)
The infected tooth is removed. The gap is gone, but the long-term problems are just beginning.
Procedure | Long-Term Cost/Value |
Extraction | The initial cost is low (extraction fee). But this must be followed by a replacement procedure to avoid serious issues. |
Replacement Options | Implant: High cost (most natural result). Bridge: Moderate cost (requires grinding healthy teeth). Denture: Low cost (least stable). |
Long-Term Value | Lowest. Failure to replace the tooth leads to shifting teeth and bone loss, which is costly to treat later. |
The Bottom Line on Cost
The price of a root canal plus a crown is almost always less than the total cost of an extraction plus a reliable replacement (like a dental implant or a dental bridge).
Choosing the extraction only saves you money on Day 1. Choosing the root canal saves you money and preserves your health for the next decade and beyond. Our expert DDS team will help you find the most conservative and cost-effective solution.
If you have an infected tooth, call Crown Dental Group today to explore your options for saving your tooth before it's too late!
