Root Canal or Implant

So the crown on one of my root canal'd premolars has fallen out revealing what can only be described as a brown stump of worn down tooth... not pleasant.

I know the drill about root canals, rotting tooth, continuous release of harmful bacteria and the auto immune complications that come with that and have debated having it out before now. Other options look depressingly thin on the ground:
1) A bridge which compromises other teeth... So that's a no
2) Refit the crown and keep the root canal.. the quickest and most aesthetically pleasing but I need to get the root canal out...
3) Implant: requires an operation but will look ok provided it's done well, aware that there could be autoimmune implications here as well
4) Extract and leave a gap or denture

So, while trying to avoid looking like an extra out of "Deliverance" the most aesthetically appealing options seems to be refit the crown or the implant but health-wise appears to be a choice between the 2 ugly sisters. So if a choice had to be made which is the lesser of the 2 evils... the root canal or the implant? Any suggestions?

Anything you do will be a tough decision regarding a very delicate subject. Quite frankly the average dentist is a butcher ignoramus. I personally would avoid root canals at all costs.

In the meantime, I would gargle daily with colloidal silver and up your intake of K2 and silica. Your real problems won't disappear after being touched even by a magic periodontal probe, just concealed for a while.

Both options are Russian roulette on the immune system and in general an all out war on the body.

So what to do?

A partial or bridge using safe materials.

First though, make sure the nerve is still alive. Many dentists may exaggerate the ill state.

Thanks for the input.

4039 - agreed that root canal seems wrong on about every level.

Caustic - so I'm left with a false tooth or a procedure which probably jeopardises the teeth around, think I would prefer to just go Deliverance style with a gap. Hypothetical question, if you were forced into choosing between a root canal or zirconia implant which would you chose and why?

Stoke10 wrote:Thanks for the input.

4039 - agreed that root canal seems wrong on about every level.

Caustic - so I'm left with a false tooth or a procedure which probably jeopardises the teeth around, think I would prefer to just go Deliverance style with a gap. Hypothetical question, if you were forced into choosing between a root canal or zirconia implant which would you chose and why?

Wouldn't do either one.

Only a partial or bridge (never root canal, and never an implant).

They are both dangerous

I hear ya, my front tooth was root canaled and I just had it extracted a year ago because it was being decayed. What I use is just some modeling clay and I model it into the shape of and color as the other teeth, and nobody can tell it is fake. It's a lot more comfortable than the stupid wire insert that costs hundreds of dollars. I have no problem leaving this clay tooth in all day.

And my teeth were very cramped together anyway, I think after another year there won't be much of a gap between those front teeth anyway. Once the teeth re-settle I think I won't even need the fake tooth to have an okay looking smile.