Endosseous implants versus nonsurgical root canal therapy: a systematic review of the literature

For this article, the authors identified and reviewed the current literature, addressing two treatment options for endodontically involved teeth: root canal therapy and restoration versus extraction and the placement of a dental implant. The literature was evaluated as a basis for making treatment decisions. PubMed was queried for all studies that compared nonsurgical root canal therapy (NSRCT) and restoration with the extraction of teeth and placement of a dental implant. This search was supplemented by searching the bibliographies of these studies to ensure that all relevant studies were included. A total of 38 studies were found that directly compared NSRCT and restoration with extraction and placement of a dental implant. The literature is discussed in terms of outcomes for both treatment options, considerations in treatment plan decision-making, or the opinions of the authors.