Root Canal Treatment vs Implants: Survival and Costs in a National Cohort
Journal of Dentistry Available online 25 August 2026, 107000 Abstract Objective To evaluate tooth/implant survival and function time, as well as costs of root canal treatment versus extraction and replacement through implant therapy in the management of endodontic disease. Methods This retrospective register-based cohort study used data from the Swedish Dental Health Register. Adults (≥20 yrs) diagnosed with endodontic disease (2015–2016) and provided with either root canal therapy (ENDO) or extraction and implant-supported replacement (IMPLANT) were followed until 2023. Survival was assessed in propensity score-matched groups (ENDO: 10,654; IMPLANT: 5,327 individuals) using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses. Function time was expressed through restricted mean survival time (RMST), truncated at 7 yrs. Cumulative costs (3% annual discount applied) were estimated using mixed-effects regression models, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were calculated as cost ...
