Root canal vs. Implant

[jo27]

I went to the dentist approximately a year ago with tooth pain in one of my capped teeth.  He took an x-ray and said it looked fine.  Told me I was probably grinding my teeth at night.  Six months late, I went back for check-up.  Same tooth still hurt off and on - sometimes gum swelled underneath.  My bite felt distorted from the swelling.  Dentist told me to get a nightguard.  Got nightguard - it seemed to help some nights, not others.  The cap fell off last week.  Dentist took another x-ray.  Infection in tooth - tooth is dead and infection may have affected the jawbone.  I was put on anti-biotics and saw a specialist for root canal.  He said only 30% chance of it working since looks like infection is very aggresive and entered bone.  He suggested implant.  Will the infection of the bone be cleaned out with an implant?  How long do implants last?  What are pluses and minuses.  I'm still young and hate to start pulling teeth if a root canal might do the trick.  Thoughts?  Thanks.

[Jerome Bogin, D.D.S.]

If the endodontist only gives the tooth a 30% chance I think those are not very good odds. Yes the infection will be removed  at the time of the extraction. I am very much in favor of implants and I restore them all the time in my office. It is a excellent alternative  to cutting two adjacent teeth to put in a bridge. My first choice if you have to lose the tooth is the placement of an implant.The implant can be a life time restoration.Who places the implant and who restores it is very important.

[mike1105]

30% is too low for me. i'd have it extracted an an implant placed if it were me.