[Saurreg]

According to Letter No. 246 Elrond, Galadriel and Gandalf can possess the capability to destroy Sauron. But for the former two, to what extent will the Darklord's "destruction" be?

I can imagine the destruction of all of Mordor's forces, the death of Sauron's minions and perhaps the destruction of Sauron's own corporal body itself physically, but can the very essence of sauron be destroyed by elves with the ring? After all the darklord fled the cataclysm that was destruction of Numenor itself.

If the wielders of the ring are ultimately corrupted by the evil influence in the ring, does it mean that an essence of Sauron still survives in the end and wins? Or is the ring a independent source of evil by itself with or without Sauron?