Here are a few things you should bear in mind with regard to your dental health:
1. Floss, floss, floss, repeat - Flossing is the only way to get the food from between your teeth; your toothbrush can't get to it. Food that remains between your teeth increases the likelihood of gum disease and tooth decay.
2. Your dental problems will not go away if you simply ignore them - They must be treated to improve. Ignoring them will likely help them to get worse. Regular bi-annual Dentist visits and dealing with problems as soon as they occur can nip them in the bud and circumvent needless pain and expense.
3. A dental implant is preferable to a crown - the process of installing a crown includes removing part of the teeth on either side; an implant does not require damaging other teeth but instead is attached to the jaw bone.
4. Root canal is actually preferable to pulling the tooth in most instances - root canal has a pretty bad reputation and as a result many people avoid it. While pulling a tooth might seem easier it will probably cost more to replace the removed tooth with an implant or a bridge. These days root canal is a relatively pain-free procedure which can preserve the tooth by removing the decaying pulp and treating the underlying infection.
5. Cosmetic dentistry as a 'cover-up' of dental challenges is a waste of time and money - Cosmetic dentistry is becoming extremely popular and it CAN BE a 'miraculous' solution to improve appearance IF it is performed on a healthy mouth. Tooth decay, gum disease and other dental challenges should be treated BEFORE undertaking any cosmetic procedures.