{"id":1481,"date":"2021-01-29T13:01:58","date_gmt":"2021-01-29T19:01:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mirandalacydds.com\/blog\/?p=1481"},"modified":"2021-01-30T21:02:59","modified_gmt":"2021-01-31T03:02:59","slug":"extraction-instead-of-root-canal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mirandalacydds.com\/blog\/extraction-instead-of-root-canal\/","title":{"rendered":"Is an extraction instead of a root canal necessary?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>I scheduled an appointment for a dental exam and teeth whitening consultation. The exam included an x-ray, and the dentist said he isn\u2019t comfortable doing teeth whitening yet because one of my top left molars that already has a crown on it no longer has a canal. The tooth has been uncomfortable for a few months, but I didn\u2019t think it was that serious. My dentist prescribed antibiotics and said that since the tooth doesn\u2019t have a canal, he can\u2019t do root canal treatment. If the tooth doesn\u2019t improve from antibiotics, he recommends extraction. I\u2019ve read many times that it is always better to keep your natural teeth. My dentist didn\u2019t give me any options. Are there alternatives to an extraction? \u2013 Thank you. Latha<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Latha,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although Dr. Lacy would need to examine your tooth and x-rays for an accurate diagnosis, we are not comfortable with your dentist\u2019s evaluation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Antibiotics for tooth discomfort<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Your tooth cannot be treated with antibiotics alone. A dentist might use antibiotics as a diagnostic tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Tooth pain that improves with antibiotics<\/strong> &#8211; If tooth pain goes away with antibiotic treatment, you have a tooth infection. Treatment options can include root canal treatment or extraction. But if your dentist does not treat the tooth and remove the infection, after you stop taking the medication, the symptoms will return.<\/li><li><strong>Tooth pain that does not improve with antibiotics<\/strong> &#8211; When antibiotics do not resolve tooth pain, it is an indication that a tooth infection is not the source. Your dentist would need to find the cause before recommending treatment.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A tooth without a canal?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If a dentist tells you that your tooth does not have a canal, two possible factors include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Upper molar teeth have a lot of bone around them, making it difficult to see the root canal, so your dentist\u2019s assessment might not be correct.<\/li><li>Tooth irritation causes a buildup of dentin (layer beneath tooth enamel) inside the tooth pulp and canals. The buildup narrows the canals and can make them more challenging to see on an x-ray.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Saving your natural tooth<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to save your tooth, we recommend getting a second opinion. Look for an endodontist (root canal specialist) or ask your dentist for a referral to an endodontist. Be aware that your dentist might refer you to a friend who will agree with your dentist\u2019s assessment. You may want an independent opinion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mirandalacydds.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/teeth-whitening-trays.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mirandalacydds.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/teeth-whitening-trays.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of upper and lower teeth whitening trays in a blue case; for information on free teeth whitening from the office Plano dentist Dr. Miranda Lacy.\" class=\"wp-image-1040\" width=\"340\" height=\"238\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mirandalacydds.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/teeth-whitening-trays.jpg 555w, https:\/\/mirandalacydds.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/teeth-whitening-trays-300x210.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 340px) 100vw, 340px\" \/><\/a><figcaption>Only begin teeth whitening treatment if your teeth are healthy<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>After an examination and x-ray, an endodontist will explain if it\u2019s possible to save your tooth and the results you can expect with root canal treatment. It is wise to <a href=\"https:\/\/mirandalacydds.com\/free-teeth-whitening-plano.html\">postpone your plans for teeth whitening<\/a> until your tooth is healthy. Otherwise, it may become further irritated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/mirandalacydds.com\">Miranda Lacy, DDS, a Plano, TX<\/a>, female dentist sponsors this post.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I scheduled an appointment for a dental exam and teeth whitening consultation. The exam included an x-ray, and the dentist said he isn\u2019t comfortable doing teeth whitening yet because one of my top left molars that already has a crown on it no longer has a canal. The tooth has been uncomfortable for a few &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/mirandalacydds.com\/blog\/extraction-instead-of-root-canal\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Is an extraction instead of a root canal necessary?<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1040,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[1048,1047,18,5,968,1046],"class_list":["post-1481","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-teeth-whitening","tag-antibiotics-tooth-pain","tag-extraction-vs-root-canal-treatment","tag-root-canal-treatement","tag-teeth-whitening-2","tag-tooth-extraction","tag-tooth-missing-a-canal"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Is an extraction instead of a root canal necessary? | Miranda Lacy, DDS<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Latha&#039;s dentist did not give her the option of saving her tooth with a root canal. 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