Abscessed tooth?

Question

I have an abscessed tooth and I'm going to make an appointment for a dentist tomorrow. I went to the ER and got some antibiotics and pain pills. I'm wondering what to expect from the dentist. My tooth is pretty decayed so I'm thinking I'll get either a root canal or an extraction. Which one hurts less? My mom says an extraction hurts less. Does it?

Answer 1

when i had my last abscessed tooth i had a root canal done
only because it was a front tooth the other one i had pulled was a cake walk never felt a thing when it was pulled out

Answer 2

Hi! I've been in dentistry for over 25 years and the answer is save the tooth. A root canal now is a cake walk and loosing a tooth is nightmare unless you do an implant. Your teeth will shift, the tooth above will drop and after time a bridge will cost you more. So do this.
Ask the dentist if the cost of root canal and crown are worth it or should you do an extraction and implant. It balances out to the same monies. And the implant will last you 200 years or until a nuclear attack. I make my patients do the implant because root canaled teeth typically fail after 10 years and why spend 2500. now when an implant and crown are the same. My only exception is front teeth. So have a heart to heart with your dentist and have him explain both options and in the long run what is best for you. I have no desire to do a RCT and Post and core and crown to yank out the tooth in 5 years to do an implant. I have 11 implants myself because most root canals do fail and the root structure is compromise. Why waste the time and monies now. As far as pain, a root canal is simple. An extraction is only sore for 1-2 days at best. There is no reason to make a decision based on that. Just what is best in the long run. Pain meds will stop it either way. M

Answer 3

Neither hurts that much... nothing like the pain of an abscess. Root canal just takes longer and they are messing around in your mouth a long time. The antibiotics will not help the pain much, but you need them. You want to keep as many teeth as you can as you will need them when you are older to support (bridge) those that will be pulled.

BTW, when they doing the root canal, the second they drill far enough through the tooth into the root canal, you will have "instant" relief. As the abscess has built up pressure and it is releaved. I would much rather have a root canal anyday.

It is all about "fear." Those that fear the procedure thinks it hurts worse, but someone like me that has had a lot of dental procedures over the years can tell you without a doubt a root canal is less "painful" but it does take a long time and every new instrument they put in your mouth you think it is going to hurt... just don't hesistate to ask for more shots if it hurts in the least.

I will tell you that root canals are a lot less pain today than it was ten years ago. Not much difference between filling a cavity, just longer.

Also, by the next day your mouth will be feeling almost perfect and by the second day, like normal... not so with an extraction.

Answer 4

The dentist will give you novacane which will numb the tooth so you won't really feel pain during either procedure.

If you have a root canal the dentist will put this device in your mouth to keep your mouth open, uncomfortable but not painful. The first few novacane shots do hurt but they are a quick poke and once it starts working you won't feel the rest of them. Close your eyes, don't look at the needle as he is coming toward you with it, you don't want to know what it looks like. After you are numbed up you might feel some pressure but not pain.
If you have the tooth extracted you will have similar novacane shots but probably not the device to keep your mouth open. Again keep your eyes closed you don't want to see the instruments he uses to pull the tooth. You will feel quite a bit of pressure depending on where the tooth is. Back teeth have a pretty long root. The extraction can be uncomfortable. The dentist will rock the tooth back and forth before he starts pulling. The do have to pull pretty hard and the tooth might break into pieces. Any pain you feel from the extraction will be after the novacane wears off. If he offers you a prescription for pains meds take it. It can get pretty painful after the novacane wears off. There will be a lot of bleeding after the extraction. You will need to keep gauze clamped down on the extraction site for several hours. Gets a bit yucky.
Good Luck, I hope it goes easy for you which ever procedure you have.

Answer 5

if they numb you, then you should not feel anything which the dentist will do. if you still feel discomfort then tell them to stop and give you some more numbing. Well if that is my tooth, and I have the money to have a root canal. I will get a root canal and save the tooth. Rather than having a missing tooth.
missing tooth or a space will cost you more in the future.
for example: leaving a space, teeth will shift towards the missing area then you will have spaces on your front teeth, not good. also to replace a missing tooth you will need a bridge. not good either more money and it involves more teeth. or denture, that's even worst! not comfortable. to be more advance maybe an implant. oh yeah! they cost a lot! well if that's my tooth I will save by having the root canal and a PFG or a FGC crown and leave it in there 'cos it's cheaper, if you think about it maybe mom just want your tooth out because it's cheaper for her (if she's paying for it) and then have you take care of the cost later when you can afford it already. well that's just me. anyway I work in a dental office if that means anything. good luck!

Answer 6

Both procedures start with a set of injections that will numb your mouth for hours so there is no noticeable pain during the extraction or root canal. During the extraction you will hear some scraping sounds as your tooth root gets pulled out of your jaw bone. Those are creepy but do not hurt because you are numb. During the root canal you have your mouth open in an awkward position that could cramp your jaw afterward and you hears some drilling but again no immediate pain.

Afterwards your extraction hurts more since there is no nerve left in a root canal tooth. That is particularly true if your tooth breaks into fragments that need to be dug out of your jaw separately.

The bottom line is that both disappear with a pain pill and a day or so later it is history.

Answer 7

Well with the extraction, once it heals, that's it. The root canal is a bit more of a process, and it is more painful. There may not even be a choice, it might just have to come out no matter what. Depends on the decay. The dentist will probably x-ray it to see how badly decayed it is, then discuss the course of action with you. If it's pulled, you'll get novecaine and maybe sweet air and then pull it out and give you some pain pills and more antibiotics. Good luck, been there many times.

Answer 8

If the crown of the tooth is mostly intact, they will do a root canal to stop the pain. The tooth will still be there, but the nerve endings will have been removed, and the space they were in will be filled with a plastic-like filling.
If it is a baby tooth, or if the crown is mostly decayed or damaged, they will probably extract it (definitely if it is a baby tooth).

Neither procedure hurts during it, but both hurt afterwards. I would think a root canal would hurt less (though I've never had one) because the nerves would be taken out.

Answer 9

An extraction hurts less and a Root canal is much harder and expensive.

Even in canada with a Workplace health benefits they still wanted to charge me over $1500 for the second step of a root canal. I only got the first set which cost around $200-$500.

So without them putting on a finishing layer or cap etc. My tooth one day may crack or break in 1-10 years or so.

Step 1: They remove the nerve which really is not painful and it costs a little bit and takes up time.

Step 2: They add some form of permanent filling which is really expensive.

Answer 10

Neither the extraction nor the root canal are a picnic! (I've had both after smacking the dashboard) But with either one, you should get some local anesthetic (novacaine or something like that) so it won't be too horrible. If at all possible, you want to save your own teeth (go for the root canal & keep the tooth, if that's an option).

Answer 11

I can't say for sure until tomorrow morning when I get the molar pulled that I had TWO root canals on. I have spent nearly $1,000.00 on that LOUSY tooth for those 2 procedures and nearly paid another $750.00 for a crown (Thank God I didn't because now it's bad) all for what? So it can get pulled. Sweet. The only tooth I've had a root canal on so...I can't say I recommend it. Also, I have good teeth so, it isn't that. Just get it pulled, CAN'T be as bad as the aftermath of a root canal.

EDIT: I went, they didn't pull it. I'm going to a periodontist for tests to see if it's cracked below the gumline. The infection spread into my jaw. Still can't really answer your question!! Sorry and good luck!