At The Gentle Dentist located in Shelby Township, Michigan we perform both root canals and place and restore dental implants so I would like to say that we are completely objective when it comes to decision making.
Root Canals are used to save teeth when the nerve tissue becomes infected. When cavities develop so deep into the nerve the bacteria from the mouth penetrates into it and creates pain and eventual infection. This destruction of the nerve tissue creates throbbing pain, pain from hot or cold or pain to biting down. The infected nerve tissue may develop an abscess which can cause swelling around the tooth.
Root canals are usually the first line of treatment with teeth to save them. Extracting teeth that are infected is also an option to eliminate pain, but the problem is how to replace the missing space. This is where implants come into play.
Implants are titanium cylinders that are inserted into the jaw bone. They can have crowns placed on them to restore the missing space where a tooth was previously placed. Implants are used if a root canal fails and it is not practical to retreat the root canal.
Root canals and dental implants are both used to restore or replace the missing spaces between teeth. They both stimulate the bone to prevent the bone from shrinking.
If you are not certain if a root canal or implant is needed for your care please call our Shelby Township Dental office at 586-247-3500 or visit us at www.thegentledentist.com.