Should I have an extraction or filling for a toothache and hole in my tooth?

Doctor's Answer

Thank you for your question.

Firstly, we would have to do a clinical exam and take an xray of the tooth, to find out the cause of your pain.

The pain can be due to different factors, the common ones being:

1. Dental decay

2. Gum disease

3. Cracked tooth.

Dental Decay

Depending on the extent of the decay, the treatment can be a simple filling, or a root canal treatment if the bacteria from the decay has infected the nerves within the tooth. Fillings are generally about $100+ on average whereas root canal treatment, which generally ranges from about $500-1500 depending on which tooth it is. The alternative to root canal treatment would be extraction which costs about $100+ on average. (In which case I assume by unplug you mean taking out the tooth)

Gum Disease

Depending on the extent of gum disease, the tooth can either be saved with a deep cleaning, or extraction may be required. Deep cleaning costs about $100+ on average.

Cracked Tooth

If the tooth is cracked, it may need a crown to protect the tooth to prevent it from splitting if you wish to save the tooth. A crown would cost about $700-1000 on average. Otherwise the alternative would be extraction.

Should you wish to replace your tooth after dental extractions, there are various ways to do so:

1. Denture (about $400 and above)

2. Bridge (about $2100 on average)

3. Dental Implants (about $3-4k before Medisave)

I would thus advise you to discuss the various treatment options first with your dentist, their relative risks and benefits and the final costs before making a decision.

Hope this helps!

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