This video is an oldie but goodie, and still relevant today!
Here are 3 reasons why saving your tooth through Root Canal Treatment is better than Extraction.
Transcription:
Hi, I'm Dr. Williams-Beecher, the #Endoqueen. And in the spirit of May being 'Save Your Tooth Month', I'm here to give you three simple reasons as to why it's important to save your teeth. Now, you may have been to your dentist and you have an issue on the tooth and they say to you, well, in order to keep this tooth, you'll need root canal treatment or you'll have to say bye to the tooth via an extraction.
Now being at this crossroad and having this dilemma can be a little trick because you're like, "Do I keep the tooth?", "Do I take it out?". Well, most times an extraction might tend to seem to be the simpler option because you just take the tooth out, and as Jamaicans like to say, "the tooth is gone, so the issue is gone." And sometimes, it can appear to be the most cost-effective option.
But first of all, one thing you need to bear in mind is that nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing, even with all the advances in modern technology, can replace in its entirety, your natural tooth.
There's nothing that absolutely replaces the form or the function. So even though you may put something else in that place, you will still notice that that tooth is missing.
Reason #2 - Drifting
When you have a missing tooth, especially if you don't replace it, teeth tend to drift. If it's a top tooth, it may drift downwards. If it's a bottom tooth, it may come up. And if you have anything missing, left or right, teeth might tend to start to tilt in that direction... because teeth like to sing, "Lean on me when you're not strong..." But anyways, back to the point!
When these teeth start to drift or tilt, it alters how you bite, how you chew, how your teeth function as a unit and collectively. And what may happen over time, especially if you start losing a lot of your back teeth, is that that lovely dimension of your face in terms of height starts to get less, and you know what happens?
You automatically start to look older.
So you may be a 30 year old, looking like a 65 year old. And we all know we don't want that. So aim as much as possible to keep your natural teeth.
Reason #3 - Cost
Overtime, when you look at replacing a missing tooth, you may end up looking at more appointments and higher costs than just focusing on keeping your tooth by doing a root canal treatment. Yes, the extraction itself is one appointment, but if you're looking at replacing it - implant, bridge, denture, whatever that option is, you're looking at several appointments to deal with that replacement option.
In a lot of scenarios, not always the case, a root canal treatment can be completed in one appointment. So you do that appointment and you go back to your dentist and you have your crown done. WAM, BAM, FAM and we're done.
But you know, even though we're saying it's important to keep your tooth, it's always good, as you're looking at these options to discuss in its entirety, what is involved in either treatment avenue as you speak to your dentist. Because not in all situations will an extraction be feasible, not will a root canal treatment be feasible. So it's always important to have that discussion, lay all the cards on the table and know what you're getting into.
And you also have persons like me, the endodontist, who specializes in root canal treatment. That's what I'm here for.
I do root canals all day. Every day.
And so it's important to save your teeth, because when you save your teeth, your teeth can be good to you.
Peace out.
~ Take 5 with the #Endoqueen