I am wondering why dentists opt to do root canals if eventually it leads to the tooth getting infected and having to extract it anyway? I am frustrated because I just paid about $5000 between the oral surgeon and dentist to get a flipper made, and then extract, bone graft, insert an implant, and put an abutment/crown on a front tooth. The whole process took about a year. Now, one of my lower front teeth that has had a root canal done years ago and crown put on it now seems to be infected because I feel pain on the gum below the tooth down to my chin. I am probably going to have to go the same route.