Have you ever had a broken down tooth or a large cavity on your tooth and thought “Ah that’s it, the only solution is to remove it and live with a missing tooth forever.”? It’s more common than you think! Most patients tend to assume either there’s no other option other than removing a broken tooth. It’s far from the truth!

Root canal treatments or easier known as RCT’s, ensure that your tooth, even though broken or with a huge cavity, can still be salvaged (given that there is enough tooth structure).

When a tooth is removed (extracted) , there’s no way of replacing it. Even with implants and prosthesis such as dentures or bridges, nothing beats the real thing. A natural tooth (in proper occlusion) is able to withstand forces, pressure and distribute them evenly throughout our bones to ensure that there’s no injury or negative effects on them.

That’s why dentists would usually recommend doing a root canal treatment over extraction when possible!

As the pictures above show, saving the tooth and proceeding with a RCT allows it to function as normal. Yes, the treatment procedure is longer. And yes, it’s more costly..

But think of it this way: wouldn’t you value your teeth and a more comfortable way of eating, chewing, and talking more than the money spent. After all, you only have one set of adult teeth! We can’t live without food can we? 😀

All it takes is a little bit of self care and self worth; the rest is up to us! Like Dr. Dini mentioned in her last post, Trust goes a long way.

But don’t forget, most cases of RCT’s require a crown to supplement the treatment. Depending on how big the cavity or fracture was, a crown ensures proper sealing of the root canal openings and helps protect the tooth itself from further fracture.

Don’t hesitate to drop by an email at shanaz@story.drfauziah.com for any inquiries.