Which should it be........pull it, or save it?

Question

I've noticed a bit of a trend over the years of going to the dentist. Alot of them will do everything they can to save a tooth rather than pull it. I don't mean to categorize all dentists into this group when I ask this but...........it would seem to me that an extraction is much cheaper than a filling. I've had dentists look at my x-rays and tell me "Why did he (former dentist) fill this?? He should have just pulled it"

Do you think some dentists try to save teeth in order to make more money on the patient?

I know it's a pretty blunt question so I apologize to any dentists out there who do still actually care for the patient's well-being.

I mean no offense to you........

Thanks,

Primo

Answer 1

Oh absolutely!  There are many out there who will do everything they can to save the tooth, knowing full well that any attempts to save it are in vain and it will need to be pulled anyways.  Many do this for the money, yes.  They get paid for the root canal...then they will get paid to extract that same tooth a few years later...if it lasts that long.  I got to a point where I started refusing root canals..if it's that bad then pull the tooth.

Answer 2

Once they pull a tooth, it's gone and can't be replaced unless you get a partial (a nightmare) or get them all pulled and get a full set of dentures. Even in that case, your gums will progressively shrink causing pain, and constant problems. I know because many adults in my family in the 70's had dentures and they had constant problems...which increased with age.

Dentists try to save your teeth because nature's provision is better than man's patching.

This is not to say that some dentists recommend work you don't need. After all, you can't see inside your own mouth. Some teeth are so rotten it's best to pull them, but unless you can afford topflight titanium s***w-in dental pieces, keep your God-given ivory as long as you can.

Answer 3

I asked my dental assistant, a friend of mine, this same question when I was told I needed a root canal.  I had no insurance, so $1800 was looking mighty scary.  She told me that whn you pull a root out, the other teeth start to shift causing all your teeth to end up in the wrong place which causes more pain and problems.  I have had braces in the past, didn't want to ruin what my mom paid for, so I opted for the root canal.

Answer 4

Its about like going to a mechanic.There are good one's & there are bad one's