Would you rather have a root canal or have your tooth extracted?

I have had both procedures done and must say I regretted removing the tooth the most. I know it is a back tooth and will not be noticeable, but trust me it is very hard to eat when a tooth in the back is missing. I have had root canals done only to lose the tooth later, due to the root canal not working. I have peridontal disease and now have over 9 teeth missing, mostly the back ones. It is very hard to eat the foods I like and am accustomed to. I would go for the rooth canal and pray that it takes. You will lose enough teeth over time. I am in the process now of having bridges put in, which are going to cost me a pretty penny, but I will at least be able to eat again.

i dont like both honestly hehe but if i dont have a choice then i'd rather get my tooth extracted than root canal.. i only had one tooth extracted ever since.. ;)

I've had a number of people here tell me to haved them pulled. I have 6 teeth that the dentist want to do a root canal with. I am told that they are very very painful. Not only that but it is cheeper to just have it pulled. I wish you luck in your dicision. I chose to get all of mine pulled now i'm waiting for a few of my doctors to let me know if i can have it done ot not.

Personally I'd go for the extraction. There are several reasons for this. 1. Cost. Extractions are a fraction of what a root canal costs. I've seen root canals go for $2000 where an extraction is under $100 2. Pain levels. Everyone I know who has had a root canal had pain for weeks with it and it is a process that takes several visits. Extraction is one visit, pain lasts for a short time and isn't that bad. 3. Root canals are only guarenteed to last 6 months. I've known some to last up to 5 years but either way sooner or later you lose the tooth. Over all root canals are a waste of time, money and energy. You end up with the empty space eventually. My sister-in-law is going through this now. She'd had root canals done a few years ago on her teeth, she's now losing those same teeth. She's very upset about all the money and pain she went through to get the root canals and the doctor didn't tell her she'd be losing them anyway. If it's a molar as you said it won't be seen. I'd get it pulled. I had some done that way and the dentist tried to warn me my teeth would spread out with that gap, never happened. My front teeth are still too tight (my mouth was too small for my teeth and they are jammed in there). I've known others who have gotten their teeth pulled and the remainder teeth never spread out. I think that it is their line to try and sell you the root canal. I'd recommend going with your instincts on this and get it pulled and done with.

I jusy had a root canal two weeks ago, I went in for a crown and when they started working they said they would have to cdo the root canal be ause the root was so exposed. So as if I wasn't scared enough...but it REALLY wasn't that bad at all!!! The crown was WAS worse then the root canal. I thought it would be really painful and a miserable thing, but it wasn't bad at all!! I would say go for the root canal, it isn't so bad.

I think root canal is better than pulling into off. Too bad i had to extract one of my molars coming Sunday because only the root is left and root canal can't be done.

a couple of months ago, I had this really terrible toothache and I was expecting the dentist would pull it off. But my doc advised me to go for root canal treatment because he said if possible it is advisable to save your teeth and I let him do what was best. He did a wonderful job and I happy with my teeth.

There's no doubt it is cheaper and if it doesn't bother you and it cant be noticed then I would choose the least expendive method. As I have not had an extraction for about 40 years I dont know if they hurt healing??

I haven't had a root canal, but had 5 teeth extracted, which was painful. Both of them sound just as bad and costly. I have very little dental insurance, so I would do the one that cost me less.

I would get the root canal. Once you're missing a tooth, you can never get it back. I don't think root canals are as bad as some people say they are. My dentist told me that he was sure I'd be able to handle it if I ever had to. I'm a big chicken, too. I usually sit there shaking, even though there is hardly ever any pain.

Go for the root canal. I has root canal therapy done sometime ago and pleased I made that decision. Here is a web site that explains about the two options. http://www.dentalfind.com/Root_Canal_vs_Extraction/ What I found most interesting on this site is this "dentists have estimated that tooth extraction will release 68% and 84% more bacteria in the blood stream than root canal therapy." Hope this helped.

I had a tooth pulled way in the back because I didn't have insurance at the time so I would say 2 things are in factor. Can you afford the root canal/crown and where is the tooth located? I personally would always go for the root canal/crown.