Deciding When to Pull a Tooth and Replace with a Dental Implant

Dental implants are a great replacement option for a lost tooth, but they’re still not as good as your natural teeth. However, in some situations, it may be recommended that you pull your natural tooth and have it replaced with a dental implant. This is a hard decision: once your tooth is gone, it can never be put back, so it’s important to make sure that when you make this decision, you’re making the right one.

When to Keep Your Tooth

Most of the time, you will probably want to keep your tooth whenever possible. Here are some things to keep in mind:
  • A broken tooth can regain much of its lost strength with the aid of a dental crown
  • Endodontic therapy (root canal) can have a success rate of more than 90%
  • Either treatment can allow you to get ten years or more out of a heavily damaged or infected tooth
If you are a good candidate for either of these procedures, then it’s best to keep your tooth. Otherwise, it might be best to lose it in favor of a dental implant.

When to Get Rid of a Tooth

In some situations, it’s necessary to get rid of your natural tooth and replace it with a dental implant. These situations include:
  • When there’s little natural tooth crown left to support an artificial crown
  • You have already had a failed root canal
  • Your tooth poses a threat to nearby bone mass
In these cases, it’s best to get a dental implant to replace your heavily damaged natural tooth. If your jawbone is being threatened by periodontal disease, it’s best to make this decisions sooner, not later, because periodontal disease eats away you natural jawbone. If you don’t act quickly, you may end up losing too much jawbone to be able to support a dental implant. When this happens, you may not be able to get dental implants, or may need additional procedures before you can receive your dental implants.

Need Help Making a Decision?

If you are unsure which is the right path for you to take, we can help you make a decision. Dr. Kenneth Siegel is an experienced dentist, and he can help you make the decision that will be right for your teeth and your health. To talk to Dr. Siegel, please contact Dental Excellence of Blue Bell in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania today.]]>