Dental Root canal vs implant

Many patients face a question of whether to save the tooth through root canal treatment or go for an extraction followed by an implant. So here the importance of root canal vs implant arise. Decision making whether to keep a natural tooth with RCT versus implant is quite difficult. Long-term health and benefit of the patient matters. There is nothing better than preserving a person’s oral health than their natural teeth. Natural teeth always provide the best chewing efficiency than any other alternatives. The implant is something where a foreign substance is placed into a person’s mouth.

How is dental implant done?

Dentists recommend implants to patients with severely damaged teeth. After extracting the tooth followed by replacing the missing tooth with an artificial tooth or implant. The titanium screw mimics the root portion of the natural tooth. Insertion of Implants surgically into the jaw bone after giving local anaesthesia. After the implant merges with the bone , next step is loading crown portion onto the implant. It is a step-by-step process. In the first step insertion of the implant body in to the jaw bone surgically, then it is ideal to wait for 3 to 6 months to heal and for osseointegration .Second part is loading of the crown portion into the implant body. Some implants can be done on the very day of the extraction. That is the immediate loading implants.

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Types of dental implants

• Endosseous implant: It is the most common type of implant
• subperiosteal implants: It rests on top of the bone, but still under the gums.
• Immediate loading dental implant: It is insertion of implant on the same day of the extraction. In this method, insertion of the implant screw into the extraction socket on the day of extraction.

Contraindications of implants

• Uncontrolled diabetic patient chronic steroid therapy
• osteoporosis
• poor oral hygiene with severe periodontitis
• Radiotherapy to the bone
• connective tissue disorders  like SLE
• Blood dyscrasias
• Bruxism
• Renal and liver disorders

Also Read : Root canal or Extraction what to choose

What is root canal treatment ?

When Dental caries extends to the wider portion of the tooth that is the pulp, It results in the initiation of toothache due to infectious stimuli being circulating in the bloodstream present in the pulp. Root canal treatment is a sequence of procedures for removing the infected pulp from the tooth resulting in the elimination of infection and thereby protection of the tooth from future microbial invasion. It involves the removal of the carious portion, disinfection followed by cleaning and shaping of pulpal canal, and three-dimensional filling of the root canals. RCT patients will not experience pain anymore.

How root canal treatment is done.

Before starting root canal treatment, make the tooth numb with local anesthesia. The root canal procedure starts after the patient feels numbness in the respective area. Root canal treatment can be single sitting or multiple sitting according to the degree of infection. First of all, excavation of the carious lesion followed by the opening of the pulp chamber. After the removal of the infectious pulp followed by cleaning and shaping of the canals using appropriate instruments. After drying the canal followed by sealing and filling with good root canal filling material.

When is root canal treatment done?

• For tooth with infection
• Fractured tooth with the fracture line above the gums
• Highly sensitive tooth
• Deep Dental cavity

Root canal treatment aftercare

• Avoid chewing with the tooth until the crown fabrication.
• Use a soft diet after RCT until the final restoration.
• Get Crown as soon as possible.
• Use prescribed painkillers if discomfort is present.

Also Read : Know what does a cavity look like

Which is more expensive : root canal vs implant?

Single tooth implant will cost more than a root canal treatment.

Root canal Vs Implant:  pros and cons

• Root canal treatment is  less expensive than implants.
• Dental implants is an invasive and complex surgical procedure in comparison to root canal treatment.
• Root canal preserves your natural tooth
• After root canal tooth may become brittle and fracture , but in implant the load transmits directly to the jaw bone not to the crown portion of the tooth.
• Root canal treatment can be completed within 1 to 10 days Whereas for implants waiting period is there for osseo integration of implant with the bone.

The Bottom Line :

Root canal vs implant

The decision to have root canal versus implant will be dependent on your needs and preferences. consult a dentist to take a decision which one is the best option as well as to check if you are a good candidate for dental implant .