Is your toothache getting worse every day, leaving you in desperate need of treatment? Well, one can’t just solve without getting into the “root” of the problem. Just like with Mrs. Malti, the cavity was damaging the very pulp of her tooth, making her suffer from an enormous toothache. But then curiosity found its way, and she started looking for solutions. The two remedies she found from a plethora of suggestions were a root canal and a dental implant. But that had her more confused—which treatment to go with? Let’s find out what she did and, eventually, solve your query.
If you want to opt for a reliable, natural-looking solution to your tooth problems, dental implantscould just be for you. The process involves fitting tiny, biocompatible screws that act like roots, providing a sturdy foundation for crowns, bridges, or even dentures. The reason dental implants are recognized as a popular treatment method is that they provide an almost permanent and precise solution for your beautiful, healthy teeth.
Are you convinced? Well, Mrs. Malti was convinced too. But do you know what’s best about knowledge? The more you gain, the better.
What is a Root Canal?
Root canal treatment is performed when the pulp of your teeth has suffered decay due to excess cavity formation. The process involves the removal of the pulp and nerve, and the inside is cleaned and sealed. Root canals can also be useful when you have cracked or damaged teeth from an untreated cavity. But even if a root canal seems like an effective solution for missing teeth, is it the ultimate one? Mrs. Malti wondered the same.
Dental Implant vs Root Canal: Pros and Cons
Both a dental implant and a root canal are proven solutions to ensure the lifelong wellness of your teeth. One doesn’t have to be completely fruitless for the other to be rendered effective. But an objective comparison of the two helps you understand every nuance and support the choice you think is correct. Mrs. Malti did the same; she compared the pros and cons of root canal treatment and full-mouth dental implants, which ultimately let her solidify her choice of treatment.
Dental Implant Pros
Here are the five pros of choosing a dental implant as your type of dental treatment:
Restores natural look: A successful dental implant surgery restores the exact natural look and feel of your teeth, just like they should.
Improves durability: Durability is something dental implant surgery ensures for the teeth, impacting the overall bite force.
Improves functionality: Not only do you chew and speak normally after a dental implant surgery, but your teeth also get better functionality compared to ill-fitting dentures.
Provides a long-term solution: Dental implants are a long-term solution that saves you money and inconveniences in the long run.
Supports customizations: Dental implants offer a versatile solution as they are highly customizable; depending on your needs, they can support individual crowns, bridges, or even full dentures.
Here are the five cons of choosing a dental implant as your type of dental treatment:
Involves a long process: A full-mouth dental surgery naturally puts you through a long process, but you can be assured of the result if performed by a dental implant specialist.
Takes up time: The entire process may take up to 6 to 12 months for full completion, but it saves you endless dental appointments arising due to complications from temporary solutions.
Requires longer healing: Dental implants may often take a long healing process, and their post-maintenance requires good oral hygiene practices.
Releases pain and discomfort: Root canal treatment can provide relief from pain and discomfort caused by tooth decay.
Prevention of abscess: The procedure prevents the formation of an abscess in the teeth.
Preserves tooth structure: The procedure removes infected or damaged tissue from a tooth’s pulp chamber, preserving its natural structure and strength.
Less painful process: The procedure is less painful than tooth extraction, which leaves a gap if not followed with an implant.
Feels cosmetically appealing: A root canal treatment feels cosmetically appealing as it doesn’t alter the way your teeth naturally look.
Root Canal Cons
Here are the five cons of choosing a root canal as your type of dental treatment:
No cleaning guarantee: Root canal proceduresdon’t give your teeth a 100% cleaning guarantee. Costing you antibiotics and analgesics to battle post-tooth restoration infections.
Leaves tooth brittle: Oftentimes, after root canal treatment, there are instances of the tooth being left hollow, making it prone to brittleness and fractures.
May require further surgery: Incomplete treatment may often require surgeries like endodontic surgery, which involves opening the gum near the tooth to remove infected tissues.
Makes tooth fragile: Root canal therapy is often responsible for making the tooth fragile, leaving it no longer useful for you.
Leaves scope for bacterial infection: Incomplete therapy leaves potential scope for more deadly bacteria to infect the tooth, as it doesn’t remove all the affected tissues, especially the ones at the end of the root.
Dental Implant vs. Root Canal: What to Choose?
Research that has previously been conducted on tooth remedies concludes that dental implants, even though a comparably longer process, have a higher and more consistent success rate compared to root canal treatment. It’s a permanent solution that fixes your tooth for life, while root canal treatment, even though quick in procedure, often fails to prove long-term efficiency due to the chances of infection, fragility, and brittleness of teeth.
Mrs. Malti finally chose to get dental implants, and here's what she has to say about her happy smile.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why are implants better than root canals?
While root canal therapy remains a valuable treatment option, its success rates are demonstrably lower compared to dental implants. In some instances, repeat procedures may be necessary within a five- to ten-year timeframe.
When should I choose implants over root canals?
While several elements influence the selection of the optimal restorative approach, including budgetary constraints, personal preferences, and the characteristics of the dental issue, opting for a dental implant may offer distinct long-term advantages in cases of significant decay, provided budgetary considerations and procedural complexity are not significant deterrents.
What hurts more, a dental implant or a root canal?
While dental implants primarily involve discomfort associated with anesthetic cessation during tooth extraction, root canal treatment presents a more protracted source of pain due to its multi-stage nature and potential post-procedural soreness, often persisting for several days.
Can an implant replace a root canal?
In fact, you can avoid the root canal procedure altogether by simply opting to have a dental implant placed.
What are the disadvantages of a root canal?
Root canals, though common, pose a potential risk of weakening the treated tooth due to drilling and possible additional decay removal.
Takeaway
Mrs. Malti realized the contrast between the two dental treatments and, after all the assessments, adopted a full-mouth dental implantas a solution to her toothache. And as you might have guessed, her dental health is doing fine now. If you, too, have realized, like Mrs. Malti, that you should opt for dental implantsurgery to swoosh your toothache away, then schedule your appointment with a dental implant specialist today!
