Q. I have had tenderness and at time pain from a molar crown. The crown was on for about 20 years and was checked regularly during check-ups. Recently the pain was so bad I went in and the dentist said I needed a root canal, but he wanted to remove the crown because there was a dark shadow under it. It was there in last years x-rays, but he thought it had changed and since I was in pain wanted to take off the crown first. I had leak under the crown that was undetected, when the crown came off, my build up came out also, so he had a clear site of the decay and cleaned it out, touched on my roots to decrease pain and filled it teporarily with fillament. He advised me to get an implant. He did say my bone is fine and the toothed looked good, but the backside were the decay was is thin. I don’t want a bridge or an implant, I want the tooth saved. I know it may not last as long, but my insurance will cover more of a root canal than an implant and I’m scared. Should I do this?, get a second opinion?, find someone who would be willing to rebuild it?Help?