[The choice between 'conservation of a tooth using endodontic treatment and crown restoration' or 'extraction of the tooth and its replacement by an implant'. Recommendations for a single tooth]

Abstract

Recent studies provide evidence that root canal treatment results in excellent clinical outcomes for our patients, which is in favour of the preservation of teeth. Therefore, endodontic treatment remains a highly predictable method to retain teeth with irreversible pulpal disease. Retention rates of root filled teeth of more than 90 percent have been shown. At present there are many alternative treatments available to preserve or replace diseased teeth and considerable progress has been made in this field. With the increasing popularity of implants and for some too complicated the root canal anatomy, more teeth than before are extracted to be replaced with implants. Unfortunately, there has not been that much of research identifying the best strategies for selecting one treatment approach over another. Consequently there is a need for recommendations regarding endodontic versus implant therapy.