Told your tooth has to come out? Get a second opinion first.

An extraction can’t be undone. Once a tooth is gone, the bone that held it begins to shrink.

Replacing a tooth later usually means more visits, more treatment and more cost. That is why a recommendation to extract deserves a second look.

Dr. Peter Shin has saved hundreds of teeth that patients had been told to remove. Not every tooth can be saved, and when one can’t, we say so plainly.

Why do dentists recommend pulling a tooth?

A tooth is usually recommended for extraction because it is infected, broken or loose. A second opinion asks whether removing it is the only predictable option. These are the situations we see most often:

• A failed root canal. Retreating the root canal can clear the infection and keep the tooth in place.
• A deep cavity near the nerve. Root canal treatment and a crown can rebuild a tooth that looks beyond repair.
• A tooth broken at the gumline. Crown lengthening can expose enough healthy tooth to hold a new crown.
• A cracked tooth. Many cracks can be held together with a crown before they spread further.
• Gum recession or bone loss. Gum treatment and gum grafting can protect the root and steady the tooth.

Every tooth is different. Your exam shows which of these, if any, will work for you. For more on retreatment, root-tip surgery and other modern methods, read our guide to saving a tooth with root canal care.

What happens at a second-opinion visit?

An in-person second-opinion visit at Shin Dental takes about 60 minutes and follows four steps.

1. Examination. Dr. Shin examines the tooth in question and the rest of your mouth.
2. Imaging. We take X-rays, and a 3D CBCT scan in our office when it’s needed, to see the root, the bone and any infection in three dimensions.
3. Gums, bite and existing work. We check these because they decide whether a saved tooth will last.
4. A written plan. You leave with your options, the order of treatment and the exact fees. If the tooth can’t be saved predictably, the plan says so.

If you can’t come in yet, a 30-minute video consultation is a good first step. Your current dentist can send us your X-rays beforehand.

A video visit can’t replace an exam, but it can tell you whether an exam is worth making.

How much does saving a tooth cost compared with an implant in NYC?

Saving a tooth with a root canal and a crown typically costs about $2,400–$2,700 at US average fees, compared with about $4,344 for a standard implant. Manhattan fees generally run above national averages.

US averages: CareCredit, based on ASQ360° cost studies, 2023–2024. For New York State, an estimate based on ADA fee survey data puts the implant itself at $2,818–$5,073, before the crown.

Saving a tooth is not always the cheaper route. A tooth that needs several procedures can approach the cost of an implant, and your written plan shows both.

How long does a saved tooth last?

A well-restored tooth after root canal treatment lasts about as long as a single implant. In a systematic review led by Mahmoud Torabinejad, long-term survival was about 94% for restored root-canal-treated teeth and 96% for single implants.

How long your tooth lasts depends on how much healthy structure remains, your gums and bone, your bite, and how well it is restored. We assess all of these at the consultation and tell you what we expect.

Saving a tooth doesn’t close the door on an implant later. Removing it closes the door on keeping it.

Can a short consultation change your treatment plan?

Yes. Many patients arrive expecting to hear the same answer again, and leave with a different plan.

What changes things is usually a clearer picture: the 3D scan of their own tooth, what each option involves, and the cost of each before deciding.

An hour spent on that can be the difference between losing a tooth and keeping it.

Why do patients trust Dr. Shin and his team?

Dr. Peter Shin grew up watching his father practice dentistry. He runs his own practice the same way: unhurried appointments, clear explanations, and treatment planned around what will last.

• Training: DDS from the New York University College of Dentistry, an Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) residency at NYU, and live-surgery implant training.
• Clear costs: every recommended treatment comes with an itemized cost breakdown, reviewed with you in person before anything starts.
• No surprise bills: once treatment is complete, you will not owe anything beyond what was disclosed beforehand.
• Insurance: we are an out-of-network provider for PPO plans, file your claims for you, and can request a pre-determination of benefits before you commit.

“Dr. Shin explained everything clearly to me and was thorough. Very nice and honest! I recommend him.”

Where is Shin Dental?

• Address: 30 Central Park South, Suite 11D, New York, NY 10019, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues in Midtown Manhattan.
• Subway: 5 Av/59 St (N, R, W) is a one- to two-minute walk. The F stops at 57 St and Sixth Avenue, about four minutes away.
• Bus: the M5 stops at Central Park South and Sixth Avenue.
• Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM. Saturday, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM. Closed Sunday.
• Phone and text: (917) 773-1353.

Questions patients ask

This article is general information, not a diagnosis. Fees and how long treatment lasts depend on each patient’s dental condition, which Dr. Shin assesses at your consultation. US and New York figures are published averages and estimates, shown for comparison only. Individual results vary.