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Should I Get the Tooth Pulled Instead of Getting a Root Canal?

Many people cannot afford the cost of root canal. and consider getting the tooth pulled. Others are worried about the long term health affects of root canal treatment, and worry that the root canal tooth may get infected.

However, having any tooth removed and especially the molar removed completely with nothing but an empty socket is not the way to go. Molars are probably the most important teeth in the mouth because their main purpose is to chew and break food down so that your body can use it better. Having fewer molars makes it harder to break the food you eat down and will make chewing more difficult.

Another disadvantage of pulling a molar is it will create a space into which all the surrounding teeth will tilt, move or lean into. That will cause what is called a malocclusion - or in layman's terms a bad bite. When your teeth start shifting, spaces will develop between the teeth and these gaps will cause periodontal (gum) problems. The opposing tooth will grow towards the space and become longer than the rest of the teeth. The bare bone where the tooth used to be will begin to resorb (dissolve away) because it is no longer protected by a tooth.

The truth is it is almost never a good idea to extract a tooth. The tooth extraction may be cheaper than the root canal but you will always have to live with the loss of the tooth, and will probably need a much more expensive treatment down the line.

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