It’s one of the most common situations at our practice in Vélez-Málaga: a patient comes in with sharp, stabbing pain that may have kept them up all night. Their first words are usually: “Please, just take this tooth out, I can’t stand it any more”. But before choosing between a root canal or extraction, it is worth knowing what you gain and what you lose with each option, and when there really is no choice but to take the tooth out.
We understand how desperate toothache can make you feel. However, as healthcare professionals, our ethical duty is clear: the best implant there is, is your own tooth. No prosthesis, however perfect, can fully match the feel and function of nature.
That’s why, before considering an extraction, at Acosta Cubero Dental Clinic we explore every option to save your tooth. The star solution is called root canal treatment (or, as people often say, “killing the nerve”), and you can see what it involves on our root canal treatment in Vélez-Málaga page. Today we help you compare both options so you can decide with all the information. 👇
What exactly is a root canal treatment? 🦠
When tooth decay is very deep or there has been a hard knock, bacteria reach the inside of the tooth, where the pulp (the “nerve”) is. It becomes inflamed and causes that unbearable pain. Root canal treatment simply consists of cleaning out that infection (we explain it step by step in how a root canal can save your tooth).
- The process: we access the inside of the tooth, remove the damaged tissue, disinfect the root canals and seal them so bacteria can’t get back in. The tooth is “devitalised” (it no longer hurts), but it stays in your mouth, doing its job for chewing and smiling.
The Acosta Cubero difference: microscopic root canal treatment 🔬
This is where we make the difference in Vélez-Málaga. Not all root canal treatments are the same. Root canals are like tiny, curved, dark tunnels, sometimes finer than a hair. Working “by eye” or with magnifying loupes alone has its limits.
At our clinic we use a state-of-the-art clinical microscope, which helps us find hidden canals and keep teeth that, without that precision, might have to be extracted. We explain it in detail in how microscope-assisted root canal treatment works.
Myth: “Killing the nerve is really painful” 😫🚫
False! This myth dates back decades. Nowadays, thanks to modern local anaesthesia techniques, root canal treatment is completely painless. In fact, the treatment doesn’t cause pain, it relieves it: the pain comes from the infection. So fear of pain should not be the reason to choose an extraction.
Root canal or extraction: which is better for your tooth? 💎
Although we are experts in implants, whenever the tooth can be saved we prefer to keep your natural tooth because:
- It naturally keeps the bone and gum in place.
- You keep your proprioception (the ability to feel how hard you’re biting).
- It’s a cheaper and quicker treatment than an extraction followed by an implant.
Taking the tooth out, on the other hand, relieves the pain but leaves a gap: over time the bone in that area tends to shrink and the neighbouring teeth can drift, so the tooth usually needs replacing afterwards (we explain why in what happens if you don’t replace a missing tooth).
When can a tooth not be saved? ⚖️
Root canal treatment is not always possible. After examining the tooth and reviewing the X-rays, we will tell you clearly whether it is worth trying. Some situations in which extraction is usually the better choice are:
- A fracture that runs along the root.
- Damage so extensive that there is not enough tooth left to rebuild it.
- Significant loss of the bone and gum that hold the tooth in place.
In those cases, we will explain the options for replacing the tooth, such as dental implants in Vélez-Málaga.
Your tooth deserves a second chance in Vélez-Málaga 📍
If you’re sensitive to cold or heat, it hurts when you chew or you notice a constant ache, don’t wait until it becomes unbearable. And, above all, don’t give up on your tooth: we see patients from Vélez-Málaga, Torre del Mar and the Axarquía and assess every case before deciding between a root canal or extraction.
Come to Acosta Cubero Dental Clinic and book your appointment. Thanks to our microscopic root canal treatment, we can save teeth that others would give up for lost.
Keep your natural smile for many years to come!
