# Why root canal vs. yanking the tooth?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-root-canal-vs-yanking-the-tooth/481334>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 14, 2009, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-root-canal-vs-yanking-the-tooth/481334 "2009-01-14T22:00:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-root-canal-vs-yanking-the-tooth/481334/21 "2009-01-16T03:59:08Z")

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> [@Gary\_T](#):
>
> Powdered bone is inserted next to existing bone, in a hole cut into the gums and then stitched shut to hold the bone powder. It becomes fused with the existing bone. It’s not like a skin graft, where YOUR skin is removed from one area and reinstalled elsewhere.

Presumably cadaver bone? (the jokes write themselves… That zombie bone would be destined to starve in _my_ head, I fear ;)) But thanks for that description, I genuinely had no idea what the logistics were. How long does it usually take for that to happen, before they can place the implant base?

And, so what’s a sinus lift? That’s another term that was bandied about in discussing upper implants and my google-fu has refused to come up with any details of just what they do!

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