 The alternatives to root canal therapy include no treatment or tooth extraction.Following tooth extraction, options for prosthetic replacement may include dental implants, a fixed partial denture (commonly referred to as a 'bridge'), or a removable denture.There are risks to forgoing treatment, including pain, infection and the possibility of worsening dental infection such that the tooth will become irreparable (root canal treatment will not be successful, often due to excessive loss of tooth structure).