Half my tooth broke off in a crown I got 20 years ago. My dentist said the tooth was infected, and there was a pus sac at the base of the tooth. My dentist says he needs to extract the tooth. Why won’t root canal treatment work? Thanks. Dylan from SD

Dylan.

Your dentist may be right, but some dentists are eager to extract teeth unnecessarily. Your dentist should have explained why root canal treatment wouldn’t work. So, you can ask or dentist or get a second opinion from another dentist to see if the tooth is savable.

When Might Tooth Extraction Be Necessary?

Tooth extraction may be necessary when the tooth is so decayed that insufficient structure is left to restore it. Perhaps a tooth has been missing for so long that the teeth on either side have drifted into the space, and there isn’t room to restore the tooth.

Saving and restoring teeth is hard work; sometimes, a dentist may fail. Look for a dentist with experience in root canal training or find an endodontist (root canal specialist) or a prosthodontist (tooth restoration and replacement specialist) to determine whether your tooth is savable and what treatment is required to do it. Otherwise, you may get a recommendation for an extraction and dental implant.

 

San Antonio dentists Dr. Gilberto Tostado and Dr. Karina Acuña sponsor this post.