If you have a decayed or severely infected tooth, you'll typically have three options. You can leave the tooth as it is, get a root canal treatment or extract it. Each of these options has its perks and detriments. However, the only two options you should consider are root canal treatment or extraction. 

Here is a breakdown of both options.

Cost

It's cheaper to have a tooth removed than to preserve it. Tooth extraction takes less time and resources; thus, the cost is lower. Although the option is cheaper than a root canal, you should only consider it if you can't save your tooth. 

Risks Involved 

If you decide to extract your infected tooth, your jawbone will begin to deteriorate and lose its shape, mass, volume and density. Losing one tooth increases your risk of future teeth loss. Also, losing a tooth means that the remaining teeth lack the support necessary to keep them in place. Also, it's not uncommon to develop a misaligned bite after tooth extraction. 

Root canal treatments have very few risks involved, especially if you're working with an experienced dentist. The only major issue is you need to invest in a high-quality crown to ensure that it's as strong as your natural crown. If not, your tooth may become vulnerable to fractures. 

Pain Levels 

Once the dentist removes the tooth or the damaged tissues, your pain should be remedied. Both treatment options are relatively painless, as the dentist will use local anaesthesia to numb the area. After a root canal treatment or tooth extraction, you can expect to experience some pain, and the dentist will often prescribe over-the-counter pain medications.

Is Root Canal Treatment Better Than Extraction?

Ideally, you should always seek to maintain your natural teeth. Root canal treatment seeks to repair the damaged, infected or decayed tooth. If you lose your tooth, there is no natural replacement for it, unless you're a child who hasn't shed their deciduous teeth. 

Once you extract your tooth, you can't get a natural replacement. If you decide not to seek replacements, you'll experience jawbone atrophy after a while. This is why you need replacement alternatives, such as dental implants to provide jawbone stimulation. 

The replacement alternatives come at an elevated cost, and you'll spend more time in the dentist's chair. You can avoid this by choosing to save your tooth through root canal treatment. However, if the dentist can't save your tooth, especially if the tooth's structure is compromised, consider extraction.