DON’T ABANDON SHIP TOO SOON

The most common reason people lose teeth is periodontal “gum” disease, which is a destruction of the bone and other supporting structures. The most common way to replace teeth today is the use of dental implants. Dental implants replace the roots of the teeth and also rely on the bone as a supporting structure.

Dental implant technology has improved steadily over the past few decades as materials and the understanding of bone integration has advanced. So, when does it make sense to abandon treating a natural tooth and replace it with a dental implant?

In a recent article published in the Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA), it was reported that there is a trend towards extracting diseased teeth earlier than in the past, and replacing them with dental implants. This trend might be related to the perceived high implant survival rate and the relatively safe nature of the procedure.

Researchers who completed a systematic review of long-term tooth and implant survival rates believe that a more conservative approach could be warranted that emphasizes treating the tooth over extracting and replacing it. Data from the study indicates that preserving teeth by proper periodontal treatment and a careful and frequent maintenance program may give the same, or even better, results for the long run, without requiring a dental implant placement, which is not without risk.

Dental implants are a great way to replace missing teeth. They have revolutionized dentistry and give many people the enjoyment of tooth replacement that feels as natural as you can get. However, their availability shouldn’t be a cause or reason to extract a tooth rather than treating it. Assessing the tooth in question for the appropriate treatment is complex, with a host of factors influencing the outcome. But all means of treatment should be considered before resorting to extraction and implant placement, according to the researchers.

Tooth loss due to periodontal disease is only one reason teeth are replaced with dental implants. Teeth that are not restorable due to decay, failed root canal treatment, and fractured roots are other reasons.

Just as teeth can fail due to periodontal disease, dental implants also have a short-term and long-term failure rate. Percentages for these vary depending on sources but 10-year implant survival is around 90%.

There are plenty of good reasons to replace teeth with dental implants. The research presented simply suggests considering things such as the patient’s past dental history, amount of bone loss, history of smoking and predictability of tooth retention among others before making the irreversible decision of extracting a tooth.

Although most of the decisions for replacement of teeth with dental implants are pretty straightforward, if there is ever a question, a second opinion from a periodontist or oral surgeon never hurts. People don’t want dental implants; they want what dental implants do. They want them to act like their own teeth. Make sure the reasons for getting rid of your own make sense to you.