Any given dentist has dozens of restorative treatments in their toolkit, but when you’re dealing with a seriously infected tooth on the verge of failure, there are really only two you need to think about: root canals and tooth extractions.

Both of these treatments can offer serious relief if you’re dealing with a toothache, but the treatment you pick will have important ramifications that you ought to consider. Here’s what you ought to know in order to pick between the two.