Save or extract a tooth? What speaks for saving it

What your own tooth can do

A natural tooth does not sit rigidly in the jaw. It is attached to the bone by fine fibres that cushion the pressure of chewing and tell your brain how hard you are biting. Only your own tooth has this fine sense of touch.

An implant is a proven solution when a tooth cannot be saved. Where your own tooth has a good outlook, saving it is usually the gentler path.

When saving the tooth has a good outlook

• Inflammation at the root tip: it can often be healed with root canal treatment under the microscope.
• A tooth with a root filling that is causing problems again: a retreatment, that is, a second root canal treatment, gives the tooth a second chance.
• Deep decay or a large old filling: as long as enough healthy tooth remains, the tooth can be rebuilt securely.

When extraction is the better path

• The root has cracked along its length.
• There is too little healthy tooth left for a stable rebuild.
• The bone around the tooth has receded significantly.

In these cases we say so openly, and you know why.

Why two assessments can differ

Two professionals can assess the same tooth differently. Often this comes down to equipment and focus: under the microscope, fine canals and cracks show up that remain hidden to the naked eye. So a different assessment does not mean the first one was wrong. It is based on a more precise picture.

What you need for your decision

Both paths, in writing and easy to understand. These questions help:

• What is the outlook for saving the tooth, and what does it depend on?
• How many appointments will it take, and what comes afterwards?
• What happens if saving the tooth does not work?
• What follows an extraction, and how long does it take until the final replacement is in place?