Root Canal vs. Extraction: Which Is Right for You?

A side-by-side comparison of saving your tooth with a root canal versus extracting it and replacing it with an implant — including the real cost over 10–20 years.

Video Transcript

Root canal or extraction — which is right for you? When a tooth can be saved, a root canal usually preserves more of your natural tooth, jawbone, and bite than extraction. Extraction can be the right choice for a tooth that is fractured below the gumline or cannot be restored, but replacing it often means an implant, bridge, and sometimes bone grafting over several months. A root canal plus crown is typically completed in one to two visits, while extraction plus implant plus crown involves multiple surgeries over months at two to three times the cost. Root canals by a specialist endodontist have a 95%+ success rate with survival comparable to single-tooth implants at 5 and 10 years. Dr. Kung can examine your tooth and explain which option is safest and most predictable for you.